Iccult
by MonDieu666
Summary: During season 2 there was another cult but this one was protransgenic. When a member of the cult joins up with Max everything changes and Max wonders if they can really trust her. AOC, ML [Discontinued]
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything… at all… including confidence. I have none and am scared this story will be laughed at or slandered.**

**PROLOUGE**

Max sped up this hill. She had just watched Renfro take a bullet for her and demand she find Sandeman. So many things to process. Joshua had mentioned Sandeman. He had called him father. Max didn't understand that term. Oh sure she knew what it meant but she had never experienced the feeling.

Max stopped when she reached the top and turned back to face her past. It was going up in flames. Manticore burned tonight. This place that haunted her nightmares and her life were going to be ash in the morning. So much destruction was going to end with one final annihilation. One would think it would be the end of her problems but it wasn't. It just sparked another one. This virus with Logan. She had to save him. To get this antigen to him before it was too late. It was Alec's fault. He had just been following orders but if he hadn't helped her escape. Max turned. Time to play hero and save the man she loved.

She could sense people running in the forest. Other transgenics escaping. Some were probably confused and thought that Manticore had been under attack. Max hoped they understood why they were out. Max made a move to begin running up the hill when she saw them.

Robed figures moving out of the dark. They lined the edge of the trees. Max took them all in. If they were Manticore guards they definitely weren't dressed like them. They had large hoods and the sleeves hung low. Max could only see their eyes. They flickered in the light from the fire. She didn't have time for this. Logan was depending on her. She took a fighting stance ready to take on these goons, whoever they were.

They recognised her threatening pose. They reached hands into their robes and drew swords. Max was surrounded by people with long, shiny and very sharp looking swords. Max noticed they weren't just men but women too. They looked like they were about to attack when a robed figure in the centre held up her hand to stop them. The others looked at her and tilted their heads in confusion. She shook her head. She hadn't drawn a sword like the others. She took a step forward and lowered the hood.

The woman in front of Max was young. Younger even then her. She had brown hair, so dark it was almost black. It hung down her back and framed her face. Her green eyes flashed and evaluated the situation. Max and the woman met eyes across the space. No words passed between them. Finally the woman nodded slowly to Max. Max did the same though she didn't quite understand. With a swift hand gesture the robed people disappeared back into the wood, which suddenly was filled with fog.

Max didn't understand what just happened. She didn't have any clue who these people were but the girl had stepped down when she didn't have to and let Max pass. Max shook her head. She didn't need to worry about this right now. She'd think about it after she saved Logan.

"_The transgenics all escaped?" The robed woman was wise and bordering on 48. She was a leader. She was talking to the young woman from the forest. _

"_All of them," The young woman had discarded her long robe and was dressed comfortably in a dress just like the pre-pulse medieval ones. _

_"You have done well my daughter. When the eyes only broadcast reached my ears I knew immediately what Manticore would do," The older lady walked closer to the young one._

"_You are wise mother," The daughter responded keeping her eyes forward._

"_And now Manticore will try and eliminate the evidence of their existence," The leader sighed wearily and sat on the ground. She gestured for her daughter to join her. She politely declined and remained upright._

"_We must continue to protect them. Amongst them the one will be found," the young woman concluded. The elder nodded._

"_But we have other matters to discuss do we not?"_

_Her daughter lowered herself to the ground wearily and reluctantly agreed, "we do mother."_

"_You are to be my heir and I feel that time will be soon but first you must accept a consort," The leader tried to be gentle with the girl, "Duke is a worthy man. If I was but a few years younger I would have taking him as my own. I know how you oppose this aspect of your duty but you will make the finest leader. It is your destiny."_

"_Destiny to know no love?" came the cynical reply._

"_What is love in this broken world?" The elder laughed harshly._

"_Hope," Her daughter answered softly._

"_If you are the matriarch you have to survive without hope! Now will you accept Duke?"_

"_I will accept Duke," The daughter gave up, "I will be with him on the night of fertility when the lady walks among us."_

"_Good girl. You know your duty well and will be a great leader."_

"_If I am excused, I need to follow some transgenics. I met an X5 in the woods this evening and I have a feeling she was one of the 12 that escaped in '09."_

_The mother nodded and dismissed her daughter. She watched the girl go. She was the youngest of her children and many thought her the least likely candidate to assume her mother's title but the Queen of heaven had shown her a vision and her daughter would rule!_

**AN: I know it's short but it is a prologue. Just an introductory chappy. Ok everyone's probably wondering about pairings. I love Alec so so much more than Logan but Max loves Logan in the show so she's gonna stay with him (silly silly silly girl she is). This is my first DA fic so if you wanna kindly tell me what I'm doing wrong that's cool. You wanna tell me what I'm doing right that would be exceptionally nice. Just feedback of any kind! I'll update with a longer chapter later. This was set at the very end of 'designate this.' By the by the name Iccult is deliberately spelt wrong. It's a play on occult. All the information about the name and the italic bit will be explained next chapter. Well most of it. Well I'm out! Please review.**

**MD666**


	2. Bag 'em

LilyPad – You hit the nail on the head. Alec is a little boy compared to Logan. Thanks for reviewing.

**Disclaimer:** **Don't own anything! If I did I wouldn't be writing this.**

**BAG 'EM**

"They were wearing robes?" Logan queried.

"Yep. Long brown ones. Hoods and all," Max recalled the image of the people in the forest and shuddered, "Logan, I could have died. There were too many of them. If it weren't for that one girl I would have been a kebab… And you would have died."

Max trailed off and tried not to think about the virus that was keeping her on the other side of the room and not in her loves arms.

"Well I could call some of my contacts but I've never heard of a group like this. Are you sure they aren't Manticore?"

Max shook her head, "They would have killed me."

"Well they obviously know about the transgenics and that could be a threat," Logan leant on his computer desk.

"I just want to know who that girl is," Max's memory of the green-eyed girl was vivid.

"Well I'm guessing that they have an outlet near the forest because unless they are ghost they would have to have a location pretty near by for them to disappear like that."

"I just can't help wondering where she is," Max mused.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The X6s tramped through the woods. They were confused and disorientated. They had run during the fire. They had hid, fearing the worst, knowing that Manticore had been under attack. Then, finally, they saw the signal flashing right now among the stars.

"We have to keep moving. If Manticore's under attack, they'll be looking for us to remobilize," One of the boys took command.

"Look, He said pointing at the flashing signal in the sky to reassure his unit, "There it is - the rendezvous signal."

"I don't know about this," One girl piped up.

"You saw the signal. We're supposed to regroup," The leader didn't turn around or even pause in his stride.

"But the other night . . . the fire . . . no one came to let us out of the barracks," The girl pressed, doubtful of Manticore's intention.

"Ever think maybe they were busy defending the facility? Manticore was under attack. By who, we don't know, but obviously command is still in place, otherwise there wouldn't have been a signal," He cut her off immediately.

"But the tacs - they were shooting at us," She still wasn't satisfied.

"Not at us. They were protecting the perimeter. I mean, sure, we took some friendly fire, that's all. Now come on - we've still got ten clicks to cover."

The girl shrugged and gave up the argument, falling in behind another girl in her unit. They arrived at the bridge. The air was sharp but there were Manticore guards standing with a well-dressed man.

"There they are. We're going home," The leader whispered happily to his companions, "X6-314 reporting for duty, sir."

"At ease, soldier," The man in black said. He nodded to the guards and walked away. The X6s back up slowly looking in disbelief at the guns pointed at them. The leader realised right then that he had failed the group. The girl who had questioned him reached forward in an unusual display and grasped his hand. They were terrified. Just as the guards looked like they were about to pull the triggers. Shapes came flying out of the trees.

One girl, only a couple of years older than them, used the rope attached to a branch to launch herself onto the bridge from a nearby tree. The rope was coiled tightly around her leg and she kicked it off as she landed on the bridge in between the transgenics and the soldiers. She pulled her sword out of the sheath attached to her side.

The X6s stared in shock as the robed figures filled the bridge. Separating them from the guns.

The girl walked forward, her green eyes flashing, and pointed her sword at one of the gunmen, "You really do not want to do that."

He narrowed his eyes and moved the gun so it point at her. She ducked under it and grabbed the end with one hand. She twisted the gun in his hands so he was forced to let it go. She then threw it back to one of the X6s. She then ran his sword through the guard's gut.

"I warned you," She murmured grimily to the man as he fell, "Cover us," She shouted back to the X6s.

Around her, her friends fought the others. They were either incapacitated or eliminated. Eventually all the men were down, dead or unconscious and the 6 X6s were holding new weapons.

The girl wiped her bloody sword on her robe. She walked towards the X6s pulling her hood back as she went.

"We can't stay here. The one black thinks you are dead. He left before he could see otherwise. But it will not be long before these men wake up and inform him of what happened. What are your names?"

"X6-314" The leader began.

"No. The ones you gave each other," She paused when they looked blankly at each other, "You did not name each other?"

"We have to go," One of the other robed men came forward.

The girl held up her hand to tell him to wait, "There are eight of you? I will name you. You, you're the leader who didn't listen to the girl. I'll name you Aralt. It is Irish for leader. You are the one who figured out what really happened at Manticore. Saw the truth. You are Lisha, Meaning truth."

The pair smiled at each other. They liked those names. The girl paused in front of a girl with hair so blond it was almost white, "I am going to call you Manar. Light!"

The next was a boy with dark hair, "Raven. It is obvious why!"

A boy with blue eyes that reminded her off the sky on a beautiful day stood off to the left, "Skye."

There was one last boy. He had been standing to the left, watching the whole thing with interest. Of all the X6s he appeared to be taking the whole event in his stride. He was like an inquisitive little puppy. He was a watcher. "You are Tor. Because you watch.

That left two girls left. The robed woman examined the first one. She stood strong in front of the piercing green eyes and demonstrated a deal of pride. Her spirit flashed in her eyes.

"This is easy. I name you Isa. Strong willed. That just leaves one last one."

This last girl hid away from her gaze. She didn't have any distinguishing features and shyly looked away.

"I can't think of any name that seems to apply to you," The woman mused as the girl looked disappointed. The robed woman smiled slowly.

"Mai! It means growth. I think you have yet to grow into your self."

"You have named them all now! Satisfied? Can we just go now?" The same man from before spoke up.

"Fine. We are leaving," And with that the girl strode off.

"Wait," Aralt called after her, "what's your name?"

"Lady," She called back and kept walking.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lady was doing an interesting combination sit up. Her legs were raised and bent in the air and every time she brought her body up she touched an elbow to the opposite knee. She could feel all the muscles in her body working. The sweat was pouring off and her shoulders were shiny.

The lose fitting training pants were clinging to her now and her bar straps slid across her skin as she paused to peal of her shirt in the training room. She returned to her work out. She paused and held her legs suspended in mid air. It was causing her muscles to ach and she knew she was pushing it but right now she didn't care.

After the X6 mission she had needed to work of some stress.

"Working hard?" A male voice asked from the side. Lady screwed up her face and concentrated on her screaming legs. If she ignored him, maybe he'd go away.

"The mission was a success," The voice persisted.

"Yes," Lady answered curtly and let her legs fall to the ground. She felt the shakiness in them that came only after they had been over worked. She tilted her head to look at Duke. He was blond, handsome and incredibly not the type of man she wanted for her consort but she had agreed for her mother's sake.

Are you not happy?" Duke was puzzled, "It was a victory."

"Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary."

Lady rolled on toe her stomach and began stretching in the cobra position.

"Pardon?" Duke was still confused.

"Mahatma Gandhi said it," Lady began doing push ups.

"Oh I remember. You like quotes!" Duke smiled. There was an awkward silence broken only by the fast breathing of Lady.

"Lady. Your mother told me you had accepted me as a consort," Duke began hesitantly.

"I did," Lady didn't stop or break her rhythm.

"I was just thinking…"

"Duke. Lets get one thing very clear," Lady got to her feet, "I have accepted you as a consort and when the times comes to perform the ritual I will but until then do not delude yourself into thinking we share anything more than a business partner ship. You are not my mate. It's not love, or lust or even mutual affection."

Duke gritted his teeth and inclined his head to her before leaving. Lady watched him go, feeling a little bad about the way she was treating him but not being able to bear him in her face.

"You may want to be a bit nicer to him, Lady," a voice behind her said. Lady's two best friends walked into the training room. Tsarina was her older sister and they shared the same green eyes. Almira was small, petit with an exotic face. When they were little Lady used to think she was the most beautiful thing in the world.

"He is attractive and a good warrior," Tsarina pointed out.

"You have him then," Lady offered before reaching for her sword.

"You have him because you are the heir," Tsarina pointed out.

"You can be the heir too if you want," Lady twirled the sword in her fingers.

"You are the one with a prophecy about her," Almira pointed out. Lady sighed and began practicing shadow movements in the air.

"Are you here to train or to reprimand me for my treatment of men?" Lady demanded of her friends.

"You are 19 Lady and he is boy who looks like he has potential and he so obviously likes you," Tsarina waggled her eyebrows, "why do you resist him so much?'

"Because I want love. Or even like," Lady cried thrusting the sword forward violently. Almira and Tsarina exchanged looks. They weren't reaching her.

"Love?" Almira prompted.

"Yes love. To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides," Lady proclaimed, "David Viscott said that."

"Oh great. More pre-pulse quotes," Tsarina rolled her eyes.

"You should pay attention to them. They say good things," Lady insisted.

"Can't you just pretend to love him?" Almira suggested.

"Never pretend to a love which you do not actually feel, for love is not ours to command… Allen watts was a smart man," Lady answered the question the best way she knew how.

"I don't like love. Too messy," Tsarina winced.

"To fear love is to fear life, and those who fear life are already three parts dead," Lady quoted Bertrand Russell.

"All right… enough with the love quotes," Almira exclaimed, "we understand. You want love."

"How will you know if you've ever found the right man?" Tsarina interrogated her little sister.

"I'll just know. He will be a much stronger person than Duke. He'll think for him self. An individual. He'll get under my skin and burn me in all the right ways. Some one who knows how to fend for him self. When I meet him I'll know instantly."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"You're really leaving?" Max demanded as Alec put on his jacket. She was furious. He was leaving her alone to deal with a bunch of X6s. Not that she enjoyed his company but he would prove really useful right about now.

"Afraid so," Alec said with out guilt and with a smile.

"Figures you'd forget the one good thing Manticore ever taught us: never abandon your unit," Max snapped at him. The kids were all watching as the pair argued. Alec looked at them and chuckled.

"Well, thanks to you, there is no more Manticore. You made this mess, not me," Proving he really didn't care and then he was gone. Max watched him leave and felt a mixture of gladness he was out of her face and a desire that he would come back and help her with the X6s.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lady and her mother were having dinner.

"Lady, You are going to be queen soon... you have to learn to put aside your own personal desires and wants for the sake of every one else."

"Mother. I agreed to have Duke as a consort. What more do you want?"

"Civility."

"Is that the only reason you asked me to dine with you tonight?" Lady was frustrated. Normally she ate with her sisters, the army or the upper class.

"What do you want, Lady? Why don't you want to be a queen?" Her mother asked.

"I just want to be the General of the Army. Let me be a warrior. Live a simple life. Live fast and love passionately. As a queen I can do neither."

"Lady, I am going to tell you a secret. Do you promise not to tell," Her mother leant forward.

"I promise," Lady said grudgingly.

"I loved once. Passionately too. It ended in heartbreak. The fire became all consuming and devoured me," The queen's eyes were steady and serious and Lady shrunk away from them. Reminded in their green power why her mother was the leader.

"Promise me you will try to do your duty," Her mother tilted her head, "That is all I ask."

Lady nodded wordlessly as the door suddenly flew open. The head warriors walked in and one of the technicians.

"Your highness," The technician bowed, "As you know we've been listening in on Manticore's communications."

The queen bowed her head and indicated for them to proceed.

"They just reported and attack on another group of X6s brought in by the signal," Duke informed them.

Tsarina and Almira stood just behind with solemn looks on their faces.

Lady put her head in her hands, "Wonderful. Transgenic deaths we could have prevented."

"That is not all," The technician stated, "They were saved. By a dark woman on a motorcycle. They escaped for a brief period of time but and an X7 had infiltrated their camp and projected their location back. The X6s managed to get away but a woman was caught. I believe it was an X5."

"We have to save her," Lady said feverishly standing.

"We can't exactly send a contingent into a Manticore camp. We'd be wiped out," Duke argued.

Lady's eyes blazed as she stared him down before abruptly announcing, "You are right."

"I am?" Duke asked hesitantly.

"I am going in alone," Lady declared. There was an outcry. Lady turned to her mother to settle this.

"Be safe," Was all her mother said. Lady was out the door without another word.

"Your majesty, surely that was not wise," Duke said quietly.

"She will not die. She is too important. The lady will protect her."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Max was pissed off. The new guys White had only been around for a little while but she already hated him. He was just an extremist racist with an obvious contempt for transgenics. Her prison mate seemed to agree, just not in that many words.

The lizard man didn't seem to speak but Max didn't care. He was like her. Created and hated. Max had a surge of anger at the narrow mindedness of the word and kicked the cage. That's when a dark shape came from nowhere. A robed girl. She pulled back the hood and Max once again saw the brilliant green eyes.

"You?" The girl asked sharply.

"You! Who the hell are you and your people?" Max demanded pushing her face against the cage.

"Ill met by moonlight," The girl said simply.

"What? I don't know what the hell your talking about. Who are you?"

"My name is Lady and I am saving you."

"What kinda name is Lady?" Max asked rudely.

"What's your name?"

"Max."

"Max is a boys name. Now be quiet and let me pick this lock," Lady turned her attention to the lock when a hand suddenly grabbed her arm and twisted it around her back. She was suddenly propelled forward so her face was slammed against Max's cell. Her shoulder burned with pain.

"Hey Maxie. Bet you didn't think you'd be seeing me," The voice of the attacker came.

"Ouch," Lady managed weakly.

"Alec, let her go you idiot," Max snapped at Alec. Alec furrowed his brow but let the girl go. Lady spun around and glared at Alec. She drew her sword and pointed it at his throat.

"Stab him latter. Get me out now," Max grabbed their attention. Alec stepped forward holding a pair of bolt cutters. Lady shot him an angry look, which Alec pretended not to see. Her green eyes were unnerving. They just didn't seem to be a natural shade. He hadn't seen this robed woman before. Max jumped out as soon as the lock was gone.

"Alec, Lady. Lady this is Alec," Max performed hasty introductions.

"Pleasure," Lady said wryly indicating that she was lying. Alec just raised his eyebrows.

"Him too,' Max gestured to the lizard man.

"Are you kidding," Alec took a step back from the lizard man.

"Do it," Max cried.

"Oh for the goddesses sake," Lady snatched the bolt cutters and yanked of the lock in half the time it took for Alec to remove Max's.

"I could have done it," Alec hissed. Lady rolled her eyes and handed back the bolt cutters.

"It's gonna be okay. We're gonna get you out of here," Max reassured the lizard man. As soon as he was free he ran. Max smiled as she saw the man go free.

"You're welcome. Come on, let's go," Alec muttered bitterly.

"Wait," Lady said suddenly.

"What?" Alec was exasperated. He just wanted to get out of here.

"The laser show's still going. If you wanna be the hero, you can't be half-assed about it. Let's go," Max dragged Alec along. Lady followed, sword drawn, eyes darting for Manticore guards.

Max sidled up to one man working out on the satellite, "All those stars kinda make you feel small and insignificant, huh?"

As the man turned Alec knocked him out with a gun and began typing furiously on the keyboard.

"It's done. Trash it," Max commanded. Alec blew the hell out of it with his gun. She heard a loud thud and turned to see the lizard man take out a guard.

"Come on," Max gestured with her hand. The lizard man never made it. Max watched him fall. Both the women gasped and made as if to run to his aid. Alec grabbed both.

"We gotta get out of here. Go, go." The trio started running.

They ran off into the woods. Alec and Max were barely breathing fast when they reached the X6s. Max ruffled Bugler's hair.

"I thought I told you to leave," Max grinned.

"You also told us not to take orders from any one," Bullet grinned back. Alec smirked and rolled his eyes.

"What were you doing here?" Max asked turning to Lady. She wasn't there. Max sharpened her hearing and could hear one lone figure running fast in a northwest direction. Max had too many un-answered questions to let the girl escape this time.

"Cell phone?" She asked Alec hopefully. She was surprised when he tossed her one.

"Hey Logan. It's me. Can you trace this call and find out if there is anything located NW of here. Uh huh! Thanks. Meet us there in an hour. Can you bring some travel papers? Thanks."

Max flipped the cell phone shut and chucked it back to Alec, "Guys we have a little mission."

"Count me out," Alec laughed.

"Alec don't male me kick your ass!' Max threatened violently.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The two X5s and X6s hovered in the forest. They couldn't quite believe what was happening. There was a party. A bon fire with drums and flutes. It was like stepping back to the first days of man. The castle behind the twisting figures was incredible. Max couldn't understand how this had stayed hidden. Logan had said this was a privately owned property but still.

"So this Lady chick. What's her deal? She revved?" Ralph asked tucking a blond strand of hair behind her ear.

"Nope but she is a good fighter. And she protected helped us," Max told the girl, not really understanding Lady's motives.

"Oh my god," Zero whispered.

"What?" Bullet hissed back.

"Look. That's a group of X6s down there. I recognise them," Zero pointed. The group was laughing and wearing medieval clothes like everybody else down there but there was no doubt they were Manticore.

"I wonder how they got here?" Max mused.

'You don't have to wonder very much longer," A harsh voice said. The transgenics spun quickly to discover swords surrounded them.

"Put your swords down," Another voice barked.

Lady emerged from the group. She glared at the sword bearers, "They are welcome guests. Do you have a problem with that, Duke?"

The man shook his head and walked off.

"Welcome to my home. You found it," Lady extended a hand to Max. Max took it slowly. Lady eyed Alec.

"My shoulder hurts."

Alec didn't say much. The male part of him was kicking in. Lady was dressed in a traditional long dress. It clung to her waist. There were no sleeves but up her right arm was a series of black tattoos. Funny shapes and designs.

"You must be hungry," Lady addressed the X6s, "There are some other X6s down there. If you talk to them they will show you where you can find some food."

The X6s didn't need to be told twice. Lady walked slowly towards the main gathering.

Max and Alec followed. Max couldn't contain her curiosity any longer, "who are you?"

"The followers of Isis. Goddess of fertility. The wise mother that originated in Egypt."

"I know who Isis is," Max admitted.

"So do I," Alec nodded. Both girls stared at him. He was offended, "What? We learnt history at Manticore."

"You are the leader?" Max continued her interrogation.

"No my mother is but I'm the heir."

"And you're protecting transgenics. I'm guessing you saved those other X6s," Alec surmised. Lady nodded.

"Why?" Max was confused.

"Why not?"

"Good point. I have a friend who will be here soon," Max remembered Logan and decided she should warn Lady. She didn't want Logan skewered when he showed.

"Of course," Lady gestured a man over and gave him an order that the man was to be shown directly to her.

"Where is your mother? I'd like to meet her," Max looked around for someone who looked like Lady. There was a couple with bright green eyes but no one who looked old enough to be Lady's mother.

"She retired early but she would receive you at another time," Lady offered. Alec had been checking out the sword at her waist. It would fetch a pretty price.

"My sword is mine! We do not use guns so we rely on the ancient weaponry," Lady glared at Alec.

"You don't pack?" Max felt her respect growing for Lady even though she wasn't sure if she liked her yet.

"Lady. I've been looking for you," A man ran up. Alec noted with interest the face Lady pulled.

"Duke. Can't you see I'm with our guests," Lady didn't want to be cruel in front of the transgenics but she couldn't help it. Duke expected her to be dependant on him.

"I will speak with you later."

Duke was dismissed and he knew it. He stalked off. He wasn't a whimpering man. Women welcomed him to his bed but the way Lady was treating him was as if he was 5.

"Who was that?" Alec watched the other man retreat.

"Duke. He is going to be my consort."

"You don't look enthused," Max noted.

"Let me explain a little something about my cult. The queen is expected to have a consort. Have a baby then get rid of said consort," Lady sighed.

"Yay," Max said sarcastically.

"Oh it's worse. We then pick another consort, have another baby. So on and so forth. Like your breeding partners but worse. We are expected to have a conversation," Lady rolled her eyes.

"Well if you get to pick him why not pick some one you like?" Alec was confused.

"I didn't pick Duke. He was meant for my mother but she has had the same consort for two years and hasn't had a baby. As soon as she has her menopause I rule. Isis is the mother goddess so when a woman passes her childbearing stage the abdicate." Lady elucidated.

The three walked past a mass of dancing people. It was very sexual and Alec decided if the real world didn't work out for him then he would come back here.

"Your mother can't have had that many children if you're the heir. You're younger than me," Max looked Lady up and down.

"Only because of a stupid prophecy. I'm one of the youngest," Lady leant against a tree.

"How many kids has your mum had exactly," Alec asked slowly.

"She has had a child a year ever since she was 20. She's 48. You work it out," Lady was cynical.

Max looked scared, "That isn't possible."

"When you've got the best doctors, lots of wet nurses and strapping young men full of testosterone anything is possible."

"Sounds like a porn film," Alec muttered.

"How do you even know what a porno is?" Max demanded.

Alec had a dreamy smile and said something along the lines of, "Lola."

At that point Logan arrived.

"I brought the papers. And a camera for visual identification."

He caught sight of Lady giving him a strange look, "Camera… You … Take …. Photo." It was as if he assumed because of her dress she didn't speak English. He waved the Camera in front of her nose.

"I know what a camera is and if you don't get it out of my face I will stick it some place fairly uncomfortable," Lady threatened.

"I'm pretty sure she is a princess so don't antagonize her," Max pleaded.

"You'll want to discuss the children in private. We only offer the opportunity to send them to our cults branches around the world," Lady strode away then.

Alec had bailed quickly when he saw Logan and had laughed when he heard Lady put him in his place. He watched as she joined the throng of dancing people. They didn't dance like anything he had seen before. It wasn't like the popular dirty dancing but it was sensual. A smile crossed her face as she danced with two of her friends, a small Arabic woman and one who had Lady's green eyes. Alec wasn't sure but he had a feeling he'd be seeing a lot more of Lady!

**AN: Like it? Hate it? I don't care. If you read please review. It was a long chapter but I had to get the information out! I've got some people I'm going to introduce next chapter. Maybe a familiar face! Any way please let me know what you think. As to the cult of Isis… I took a few liberties. I recently studied her in class and I thought she rocked!**

**MD666**


	3. Proof of Purchase

**Disclaimer: do no own anything!**

**PROOF OF PURCHASE**

"He was kind of hot," Almira leant back in her chair and stared at Lady. Lady and her group were crammed into a small disgusting hotel. They had gotten the X6s across the border into one of their Canadian sectors.

"He seemed a little old and besides I think he is Max's. They were giving off a vibe," Lady was examining some maps.

"No not him. The other one. The X5!" Almira casually stated. Tsarina was cleaning her nails with her knife with a big smile on her face.

"What? Alec?" Lady looked up suddenly.

"Yes. Don't you find him attractive?" Almira pressed.

"I did not notice," Lady stuttered, "I mean… No."

"You mean to tell me that you didn't find him the slightest bit attractive?" Tsarina idly waved her knife in the air for emphasis.

"Are you joking? He is self centered and arrogant and he hurt my shoulder," Lady winced as rotated her shoulder to prove her point.

"And incredibly good looking," Almira giggled.

"I would take him as a partner for the festival," Tsarina admitted.

"Hussy," Lady accused. Tsarina shrugged and went back to her nails.

"You are obviously blind, Lady," Almira exclaimed.

"Rarely do great beauty and great virtue dwell together. Petrarch said that!"

"Oh she quoted," Almira reached over to hi-5 Tsarina.

"She thinks he's hot!" Tsarina crowed.

"I just like quotes," Lady insisted.

"Only when you do know what to say," Almira pointed out.

"And right now you are wondering what he is doing," Tsarina indicted.

"No I am not," Lady lied. Lady was thinking about him. In a single evening he had managed to drive her completely insane! No body had done that before.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Alec had just taken out 'Mangler' Miller. Better! That's what he told him he was. And he was! Better than all of them. Annie stepped into the ring and held up his hand for all to see.

"Champion," She cried. The crowd roared. Alec soaked it up. He wasn't used to being praised for what had always come naturally. So Alec basked and he was filled with the glow ten minutes later as he tugged on his turtleneck.

"What do you mean, this is your last fight?" Annie demanded. She was watching her profit walk away.

"I'm done. Gonna retire undefeated," Alec suggested.

"Retire? They love you out there. We've done twice the business since you showed up," Annie was pleading and Alec liked it. He smirked at the truth of the statement.

"Look, Annie, as much as I enjoy beating people up, I've got bigger plans for my life. And this is gonna help me get started," He waved the cash before pocketing it.

"If you change your mind, you know where to find me," Annie walked away. Alec watched her go and took her in. The woman could really pull off a pissed off walk. He pulled on his leather jacket when two men walked in. Alec didn't like them. They seemed to threaten with their very movement.

"What do you guys want?" Alec sized them up.

Both men shot him abruptly with tasers; Alec fell to the floor twitching.

"Take him out back," as White stepped over the X5 body.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"You called me oh wise sister of my great mother," The black man bowed slightly.

Lady grinned, "Take a seat Herbal."

"You called me, sister?" Herbal relaxed in Lady's presence. She was a down chick in his opinion.

"I need information on the one they call Max. I am led to believe you work with her?" Lady tilted her head.

"That I did but had no idea she was the created sent by the Queen of heaven," Herbal admitted.

"Of course you would not. She is good at pretending," Lady conceded.

"Lying you mean?" Herbal looked a bit put off. Max had been one of his good friends but he didn't hold it against her.

"A lie often enough told becomes the truth," Lady murmured, "Do you think I quote when I cannot think of something to say?"

Herbal looked taken back at the question, "No!"

"And it definitely does not mean that I'm interesting in some male because I am not. I HAVE my consort already," Lady rambled. Herbal stayed silent suspecting it was one of those female things men weren't privy to.

"Any way as I was saying… How would she react to the cult's presence in her everyday life?" She asked finally.

"She'd hate it," Herbal informed her.

"I knew it. That is why you are going in. do you have any issues about that?" Lady checked.

"It's all good all the time," Herbal nodded with a grin.

At that point Duke walked in followed by one of the technicians.

"We have a problem," Duke stated.

"We?" Lady asked sarcastically. Herbal nodded to Duke. He had been too serious for his taste.

"Yes. One of our X5 friends has gotten himself caught by White and commissioned to kill three transgenic in exchange for his life," Duke said angrily.

Lady sighed, "How did they catch Alec."

She just knew automatically that it was him. When Duke answered ring fighting it was put beyond doubt.

"You think he'd murder someone?" Lady hopefully asked no one in particular.

Duke snorted, "We pulled his psych records. All the attributes of a sociopath."

"Doesn't make him a killer," Lady defended Alec for goddess knows what reason.

"Yes but having your life threatened may do it," Herbal seriously added.

"Good point. Hand me the phone," Lady demanded.

"Who are you calling?" Duke asked.

"Max! She has to stop him," Lady dialed the number Logan had given her, thinking that it was more likely Max would be there."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Max touched the glass between her hand and Logan's. She wanted to cry as she felt the cool glass. She couldn't bear it. She walked to the door. Just then the phone rang.

"Hello? Yeah she's still here… I think," Logan walked around the corner. He mouthed Lady at her. Max did not want to deal with the cult heiress.

"Hello?"

"_Max. We have a problem…"_

"Look Lady. I don't have time for this. I respect what you do for transgenics but I can't have another reminder of Manticore in my life," Max realised she was dismissing the Isis cult from her life but right now she wouldn't have cared if she lived in solitary confinement.

"_But…_"

"No lady. I give up. I don't care any more, you deal with it!"

"_I am too far away_."

"Not my problem any more," Max felt childish and ridiculous but couldn't stop herself. She didn't owe Lady anything… much!

"_Max, you don't understand,_" The voice was becoming desperate.

"I'm sure I don't," Max snapped.

"_Some one will die-_"

"Good bye, Lady."

"_No don't hang up,"_

Beep, beep, beep!

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Damn it," Lady shouted. She tossed the phone to the side and went into general mode, "Get me to Seattle… NOW!"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lady was standing on the edge of the city, looking at its dirty grimness and pining for her forest. At the same time she felt a rush of excitement tingling in her skin. She had to find Alec. They had checked in on his progress. One dead. Lady closed her eyes. One still alive. Alec hadn't the nerve to kill the human. It gave Lady hope that he wouldn't kill but Duke had reminded her about the explosive and now he had a second chance he wouldn't waste it. She blocked Duke's negative thoughts out. Almira and Tsarina had already stared combing the city. She had to find Alec. She had put on casual clothes just for this occasion. The jeans were baggy and the jumper unflattering. She looked frumpy.

"Lady?" A hesitant voice. One of the cult members stood beside her. Lady didn't answer, just turned a cold eye towards the male. He faltered in front of that green fury.

"We have another problem," He stammered. Lady raised an eyebrow. He handed her a magazine. There was a dog man on the cover.

"Could my day get any worse?" She asked rhetorically. She flipped open her cell.

"Logan? Have you seen the transhuman on the front cover?"

"_Yes. It's Joshua. Max is looking for him with Alec."_

"Alec? Tell me where they are going," Lady rushed.

"_They were looking at all the pre-pulse addresses of Sandeman. Here are the addresses."_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lady checked the second last name on this list. No one. She didn't think they hadn't been here before. She had missed them. Cursing, she made her way to the last address Logan had read out. She didn't have a sword. Just two nice daggers concealed in the over large jumper.

Lady could run fast. Not as fast as a transgenic but fast enough to see Alec straddling Max. He was about to drive a knife into her heart. To take her barcode. Lady didn't think twice but charged the X5 male. She tackled him and quickly rolled to her feet, her two daggers drawn. Alec looked surprised.

She kicked him in the stomach. She tried to follow up with a swinging punch but he ducked beneath it. He was moving too fast for her to land any hits. This was a very bad idea Lady thought. She managed to trip him up with a remarkable display of luck. He fell… right near the taser. Lady barely had time to swear before she was zapped. She went down immediately.

She watched out of the corner of her eye as Alec resumed his position over Max. Lady and Max both watched as the conflicting emotions filtered over his face. He couldn't do it. He brought the knife down hard into the ground next to Max's head. He rolled off. He looked at the stars breathing heavily. Only a little while before he was dead. He wanted to die looking at the stars, seeing the freedom he so briefly had.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Next time do not hang up the phone," Lady was angry.

"I meant what I said though," Max retaliated.

"Fine next time, I'll let you die."

They had bickered the whole way to the Manticore doctor. He had examined Alec with a wary look on his face.

"Yeah, thought so. Planted a few myself back in the day. Mind my asking how you ended up with one of these pop guns attached to your brain stem?" The doctor announced finally.

"Because he's a cold-blooded, opportunistic showoff who thought he could run his game on a major bad guy who, it turns out, is an even bigger scumbag than he is! That about cover it?" Max stated.

"Harsh but fair," Lady agreed.

"Yeah, that's pretty much how it happened," Alec glared at the women.

"Oh, before I forget, thanks so much for not killing me," Max said sarcastically.

"Me too," Joshua said genuinely.

"I can disarm it. It'll cost you ten grand," The doctor informed them.

"Only number you know?" Max tilted her head and confronted the Doc. He didn't back down.

"I can get you the rest later," Alec handed over $2500.

"Need it up front," Doc shrugged.

Alec had a murderous look on his face as he slammed the doctor into a wall, "Where the hell am I gonna get that kind of cash in the next five minutes, huh?"

Lady dug into her pocket and pulled out $2500, "Here. Now save his life."

The doctor shook his head. Lady pulled a face, "What? You aren't going to do it?" She wasn't used to people not doing what she wanted.

"Wait. You're paying me back," Max handed over Logan's money.

"No problem," Alec agreed without hesitation thinking of the fighting ring.

"Great. I can leave town tonight," The doctors statement bought silence. The other four knew about the virus problem.

"What! You haven't finished my job!" Max panicked. Alec looked aghast at what he'd done.

"Have I not mentioned that my life is in danger?" The doctor was apathetic.

"I'll make sure nothing happens to you." Max promised desperately.

"I'll give you asylum," Lady threw in quickly. For some reason the look on Max's face was breaking her heart.

"Not good enough. Look, you can have the work that I've done so far. Take my analysis. You can find some other Manticore geek to help you finish it off," The doctor shrugged.

"Where?" Max demanded.

"Don't know. If they're smart like me, they're probably already on their way out of town. We got a deal? This guy's got like two minutes to live."

Alec looked at Max and Max looked back. She could let him die. He was responsible for ruining the relationship between her and Logan. But she couldn't. He didn't kill her and she couldn't kill him, though he may deserve it.

"Do it," She slapped the money in the doctors hand.

The doctor began working quickly on Alec's neck.

"Times almost up, Pal," Alec drew attention to his watch.

"Don't distract me," The doc snapped back.

He pulled it out just in time because it exploded a second later. Everyone in the room released breaths they had been holding, "Congratulations. You're not dead." He then scrambled for a suitcase.

"That's it. I'm out of here. Sayonara," And he was gone.

"I owe you, Max. I know I screwed things…"

"Shut up! And listen, 'cause I'm only saying this once. That guy was the last chance for me and Logan. He's gone, and it's your fault. Don't think I'm ever getting over that," Max attacked him.

"I know," Alec's head dropped.

"Just...do me a favor, all right? Go away. I can't even look at you right now," Max demanded. Joshua moved forward to comfort her and growled at Alec. Alec went to leave.

"I'm sorry, Max...for everything," Then he was gone. With one last look back at Lady he disappeared into the night.

"I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up anyway. I just wish I knew what I was gonna tell Logan," Max was devastated.

"I can take Joshua back to the castle," Lady offered.

"Fathers house," Joshua spoke up.

"Thanks but no thanks," Max declined her offer. The pair went to leave.

"Oh and Lady. I really don't want to see you around Seattle any more," Max couldn't look at her. Lady nodded understandingly. She thought Max was rude and ungrateful but she could completely see where she was coming from tonight.

She wondered where Alec would go. He probably didn't have anywhere to go and Herbal had been right. If your life is threatened you do drastic thing. He had been wrong but she worried for him. And as she watched Max leave Lady thought her mother was right for the first time in her life. Maybe she didn't need love. Maybe it did only end in heartbreak. Lady made a silent promise to try harder with Duke to make this consort thing work because she sure as hell did not want to be in the same position as Logan and Max.

**AN: Hey guys. Nothing in particular to say except sorry I can't speak like Herbal very well. And it would be cool if all the hits I got for this story transferred into reviews. Please if you read this story... review. It makes my day/night (whenever I read them). And it gives me an incentive to try harder. **

**MD666**


	4. Satellite

Black Rose9 – I'll take the bit about the full stops of board and I tried to be conscious of it in this chapter. Let me know what you think about it. Oh and I'm stoked you think everyone is in character.

Maria656 – My spelling has always been the problem and no matter how hard I try it never seems to get better. Most of it's typos but I will try extra hard. Glad you find it interesting.

**Disclaimer: do no own anything!**

**SATELLITE**

"I cannot do it," Lady insisted.

"Of course you can. Focus!"

Lady contemplated running away… very far away.

"All your sisters survived," The woman declared. Lady wanted to cry or kill the woman. Her name was Eriego and she was here to teach Lady about the dance she was to do on the special night where she accepted Duke as her consort.

"They are all insane," Lady annunciated every individual word.

"Just roll your hips," Eriego grabbed Lady's hips and moved them in circles. Lady slapped away her hands.

"Never do that again," Lady commanded. Lady could see the thoughts ticking over Eriego's face and she was pretty sure the dance teacher was thinking words like brat and spoilt.

"Fine do it yourself," Eriego threw up her hands in frustration.

"Fine, I never asked for this in the first place," Lady yelled after her. It was a reminder, when she acted like as such, that Lady was indeed only nineteen. She folded her arms, she felt ridiculous, standing there in her long gypsy skirt and black bra she hoped her mother did not see… ever. She couldn't help it that she liked black lingerie, if her mother saw it she would assume that Lady was ready to move on to bigger and better things. Namely Duke.

The music continued to play. It was Celtic Irish music but it bore some resemblance to the ritual music of Isis. It had a steady drumbeat and a primal flavor that Lady enjoyed when she could dance freely. The hip shake was one thing but the sensual hip roll was going right over her head.

It wasn't all her fault. She just could not muster up the sexual desire that was required for the dance especially not knowing it was meant for Duke. Lady shuddered. She closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath. She listened to the music and the pounding of the drum. She swung her hips once. Then she swung them once more. Very soon she was moving her hips in time to the music. It wasn't the flirty enticement that Eriego had demanded of her but it was closer to how Lady danced normally at festivals, when she wasn't trying to impress any one.

She was spinning around fast now, enjoying the way her skirt swung out and her hair followed suit. As her body twisted and turned in collective harmony with the music her heart raced with adrenalin and her skin slicked with sweat. Her breathing was fast and deep when Someone coughed at the doorway.

Lady stopped immediately; embarrassed for a brief second, until she saw it was Tsarina.

"Hello big sister. Would you like to dance?" Lady offered tapping her foot.

Tsarina declined with a shake of her head and a grin, "You have a visitor."

Lady sighed frustrated, "Important?"

"Fairly," Tsarina smiled.

"Alright," Lady made to follow her sister.

"Ah," Tsarina held up her hand, "You may want to put on a shirt."

"No. They disturbed me from my work out they can deal with my black bra," Lady walked past ignoring her Sisters protest. Lady was no prude and didn't mind walking out in her bra, besides… she wanted to get back to her work out.

They walked quickly through the passages of the castle until the came into the grand entrance hall. There were velvet-covered seats lining the wall and the guest sat in one of these. He was looking around with wide-eyed admiration. The marble interior was stunning. It had been in the cults possession since the settlement of America.

Alec!

"You want to put your shirt on now?" Tsarina stifled a giggle.

"You could have warned me who it was," Lady hissed back outraged. She suddenly felt very exposed and very self-conscious. Alec had heard the women enter and stood up to greet Lady. His mouth opened slightly when he saw her standing there in barely anything more than a skirt and a bra. A black bra at that. He hardly noticed as Tsarina left and only he and Lady remained in the hall. Lady shifted uncomfortably in the face of his stare and silence.

Alec was lost for words. Every time he had seen her she had been wearing modest clothing like the robe or medieval dress and he wasn't even going to think about the horrifying tracksuit outfit. The hieroglyphics up her arm were more vivid on her shiny skin and Alec couldn't help but wonder what she had been up to. Isis was the cult of fertility right?

Lady was exasperated with his gaping and piercing gaze. "Well?" She demanded.

"You're wearing a black bra," Was all Alec managed. He almost hit himself as he saw the fire leap into Lady's emerald eyes and prepared for his berating.

"Yes," Lady simply answered. She wasn't in the mood for long discussion about her choice of undergarments. Alec had come here for a reason and she was determined to know why. Alec sensed her mood and moved right along.

"I need asylum," He admitted, "A place to stay."

"For how long?" Lady asked folding her arms.

"Two days," Alec estimated.

"And then?" Lady questioned.

"Back to Seattle," Alec answered wondering what was up with the interrogation.

"To do?" Lady persisted.

"I don't know. Get Max her money. Steal some things," Alec shrugged with a smirk.

Lady didn't smile and tilted her before saying, "Ok," simply and walking back the way she had come. Alec, having no idea what else to do, followed her.

"Did I catch ya' in the middle of something Lady?" Alec asked suggestively as he drew equal to her.

Lady looked at him in the corner of her eyes, "I was practicing a dance."

"Oh like the Macarena?" Alec joked.

"The what?" Lady paused.

"Pre pulse dance. You know I think about it you would probably of hated it," Alec rambled. Lady narrowed her eyes and kept walking.

"So what is this dance you're doing? A magic dance?" Alec persisted.

"No. A ritual dance. For my consummation with Duke," Lady replied edgily.

"Wow if that is what I think it is then that is the least romantic thing I've ever heard," Alec whistled.

"As opposed to copulation?' Lady countered.

"Hey I never…"

"If you were part of the Manticore breeding program you definitely said that word," Lady interrupted.

"Listening in on Manticore feeds?" Alec guessed.

"Satellite on the roof," Lady said by way of explanation. They were back in the training room that was reserved for Lady. The music was still playing. Alec stared at Lady expectantly.

"Are you going to show me the dance?" Alec prompted.

"No," Lady scoffed.

"If I say pretty please and bat my eyelashes would you show me?" Alec smiled prettily and did flutter his eyelashes. Lady felt a grin tug at her mouth. Then the moment was ruined. Eriego was back.

"What?" she screeched loudly, "I leave you alone and you do not work?"

"Shocking ain't it?" Alec lowered himself into a chair. Lady glared at him but he chose to ignore the fiery gaze and put his hands behind his head.

"Now you roll your hips," Eriego turned up the music. Absence had not made Ereigo's heart grow fonder of Lady and the feelings were mutual. Lady was torn now. She had to make the very difficult decision between humiliation on front of the X5 or death by Eriego.

She picked humiliation. She could just avoid him for the two days he was here, so she closed her eyes and focused on the beat. She let the music wash over her and let it become part of her. The beat led her hips. Eriego occasionally touched Lady to move her into a better position but Lady was doing well. Eriego was actually taken back. For some unknown reason the sensuality missing before seemed to be oozing out of her.

The dance teacher cast a quick glance at the X5 male casually lounging in the chair to see his reaction. His facial expression was the same but Eriego had noticed his expression had sharpened and his breathing quickened slightly. This made Eriego nervous because Lady had a consort already and was suitably unhappy about the choice. She did not need another male around making the position any more difficult than it was already. Eriego felt it was her duty to warn the matriarch.

Alec didn't notice the dance teacher slip from the room. He was enthralled with Lady. He had thought she was attractive from the moment they met but he had her pegged as a serious no fun girl. Did her duty and then got the hell off. But as she relaxed into the music Alec began to suspect maybe he had gotten it wrong. The song slowly wound to an end. Alec was sad to see it stop.

When the music ended Lady became acutely aware of her surroundings, including a lack of Eriego and a staring X5.

"I am not very good at it," Lady blushed.

"Hey," Alec argued with her, "You're better than half those girls on MTV."

"What?" Lady was confused. She had never heard of MTV before. Was it another cult?

"Hold up! You mean to tell me you have never heard of MTV before?" Alec demanded aghast. When Lady shook her head he tsked his disapproval.

"I've only been out of Manticore a little while and I've already been introduced to the wonders of the boob tube. Half naked chick's shacking their booties in time to pointless hip hop songs!" Alec's eyes were alight with jubilation as he recalled some of his favourite video clips.

"Sounds enthralling," Lady said dryly. Alec recalled something Lady had said in an early conversation about a satellite.

"Come on… I have an idea," He grabbed her hand.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Alec was helping Lady up onto the roof. She looked scared and refused to look down.

"Are you scared of heights?" He demanded.

"No more than the usual person but climbing up castles will give anyone the chills," Lady answered holding tight to the railing.

"I'm not scared," Alec boasted.

"Well I do not have cat DNA do I," Lady shot back.

"True," Alec conceded, "You do have a TV don't you? Because I'd hate to think we wasted all this time and risked our lives if you didn't."

"We do," Lady gulped.

"Almost there," Alec reassured her even though he was grinning at her fright. Alec jumped up first then pulled Lady up after. She had tied her hair back and out on a shirt by now. They were in a little courtyard right next to a satellite. Alec wandered over and jiggled with the wiring.

"I am pretty sure this illegal," Lady hissed at him.

"And I'm pretty sure hacking into Manticore's communication lines is illegal too," Alec didn't pause in his work.

"But that is for a good cause. The only reason you want to do it is so you can watch scantily clad women shaking their bottoms," Lady said in defense.

"That is a good cause! Besides if that was the only reason I could have just watched you," Alec made eye contact and smirked. Lady flushed. Goddess, this man was irritating beyond belief.

There was a sizzling sound and Alec swore. Lady rushed over to see what was wrong. Alec looked guilty.

"What did you do?" Lady demanded. Alec didn't get time to answer before a series of shouts echoed in the air.

"I'm not positive but I'm pretty sure the only channel any TV in this castle is getting is the porn station," Alec focused on the wires.

"Fix it," Lady gasped. She ran to the side of the roof and looked over the edge. People were sticking their inquisitive heads out of windows to see what was going on with the satellite. Lady withdrew swiftly before they could see her.

"Faster," She instructed Alec.

"I'm working on it," Alec's brow furrowed with concentration. He relaxed and smiled, "There. All better."

The pair looked at each other before bursting into laughter. Lady found herself unable to stop before she had to lower herself to the ground to prevent and injury. She sat next to Alec who was leaning against the wall. He was sniggering.

"We should probably stay up here for a while," Lady suggested between giggles, "If we go down now they may see and connect that incident to us."

Alec's laughing dies down and he watched her smile. She was beautiful when she laughed, he eyes lit up but not in a dangerous way and she practically glowed. Lady realised he was examining her.

"What?" She nudged him with an elbow.

"It's the first time I've seen you laugh," Alec informed her.

"I laugh," Lady said, "and besides you barely know me."

"I know you don't laugh often because your laugh lines are very faint. It was like that with most Manticorians." As if to emphasis his point he reach over and traced the soft lines with his thumb. He left his hand there.

"My job… It's very stressful," She was surprised and put out by his gentle touch. Alec felt something he couldn't identify and quickly drew his hand back. Lady seemed to be contemplating.

"But you enjoyed that?" Alec asked to break the descending silence, "Messing with the cable I mean."

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible," Lady quoted.

"Pardon?" Alec was confused.

"Walt Disney said that," When she noticed he was still staring puzzled she added, "I like quotes."

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible… I like it. I might make it my mantra," Alec proclaimed.

"It is a good mantra," Lady confirmed.

"So what's up with this heir gig? You're not the oldest but you're the heir. I'm not sure I understand," Alec leant back against the wall.

"Oh some prophecy! The soothsayer had a vision at my birth," Lady said vaguely.

"Like what kinda prophecy?" Alec continued.

"You really want to know?" She turned to him incredulous when he nodded she said, "And you won't laugh and make fun of me?"

"I swear," Alec promised with fake sobriety.

"All right. It goes like this.

_She will be the queen that brings the cult to light_

_She will befriend the forsaken_

_And take up the broken's plight._

_Alongside her king and mate_

_First comes love and next comes hate_

_What comes after is up to fate_

_He will bring the child and she will make a man_

_To be ready for when time began_

_To aid the one created outside the natural realm_

_With hands and brain_

_Not heart but the same_

_The messiah to save the ending world_

_The sand knew and prepared_

But all will be abandoned if this one does not rule 

That's about it," Lady appeared bashful.

"So," Alec reflected, "You're pretty important."

"I guess so," Lady shrugged.

"And this king and mate? It's referring to Duke? No wonder the guy looks so happy to be your consort," Alec concluded.

"Well if he is they got the first comes love and next comes hate part back to front," Lady grinned.

"You want love?" Alec asked with a funny look on his face.

"Why does everyone act like that is abhorrent?" Lady cried.

"No I respect that," Alec admitted genuinely.

"You do?" Lady asked in skepticism turning her head to face Alec.

"I do!" Alec turned his face around to hers. They were inches apart, "Love, passion and fire are the three ingredients for an exciting and happy life. If there is no sexual attraction then it is nothing more than a friend ship."

Lady could feel his cool breath on her checks and Alec was noticing the sprinkle of freckles on her nose. How they made her look younger and cuter. Lady knew what Alec was talking about right then with the sexual attraction. But she had a duty, to Duke and to the cult and as heir.

"We could probably get down now," She stated pulling back. Alec got to his feet and held out a hand for Lady to take. He pulled her up and then began climbing over the little wall. Lady had done the right thing and not given into a fleeting moment of a shared experience. But if that was true why did she feel like kicking herself.

**AN: well here is a chapter for those lovely, lovely people who reviewed. If you are wondering what is happening back in the city with Logan and Max, just for reference, this chapter corresponded with Radar Love where Max and Logan have their little drinks with Rafer and Asha. And if you wanna an idea what the music sounds like my inspiration is Loreena McKennitt Well let me know what you think! Like it love it or hate it. If you are reading this story please review. It takes a grand total of 30 seconds to click the review button and simply tell me that you read it!**

**MD666**


	5. Primal Beat

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything and since my computer completely crashed and I can't access any of my old things including reviews I will just say thanks to anyone who reviewed!**

**PRIMAL BEAT**

"Isn't he a bit old for you?" Alec demanded.

"No," Lady snorted! Alec raised an eyebrow

"Well," Lady revised her answer, "Duke's 29 that's not a big age difference!

"It's ten years!" Alec exclaimed.

"What is age but a number?" Lady glared at Alec.

"It's really not an issue for you?" Alec demanded as if he couldn't quite believe it!

"Not it's not. His age is no problem."

"It's just his personality, demeanour, existence, presence… breathing," Alec suggested before sidestepping a sharp hit to the side. He was laughing at her face. Lady was incredibly frustrated. Alec liked the way she didn't narrow her eyes when she was angry. Her eyes just hardened and it was if there were flames behind the green.

Just as he was admiring her and her indignant spirit she was contemplating ways to string him up by his ankles so she could conduct various forms of torture upon him and ultimately have her way with him. She crinkled her eyes in a wince as she realised how that thought could be taken. Lady blushed; sure that Alec could read her mind and see what she was thinking.

They walked out the doors of the Isis castle.

"And that concludes the grand tour of inside," Lady announced.

Alec turned back and whistled his appreciation, "I particularly liked the underground operation room."

"Just because we appear old fashioned does not mean our equipment is," Lady informed him curtly. Alec found this oddly ironic as she was standing there wearing something the surviving history books mentioned a female from the medieval would be wearing. He didn't say anything.

Alec wondered why he always surrounded himself with woman who wouldn't take any of his crap. Max for example could pack a strong right punch if he stepped out of line. Lady didn't quite have the swing to put him in his place but she had that steely glare which put him right back in his place.

"Do you want to see the rest of the place?" Lady suggested suddenly developing a shy streak in the silence. She never knew what he was thinking which irritated her. She liked being in perfect control of the men around her.

"You mean there's more?" Alec couldn't stop the awe creping into his voice. Manticore was a huge operation but even he was slightly daunted by the sheer size of this organization!

"Yes we have a training area, stable and then there is the hot springs…"

"Hot springs," Alec interrupted with his request. Lady laughed at that point Duke rounded the corner carrying an armful of crossbows. Lady snapped her shut. Alec looked for the source of Lady's abrupt silenced. His eyes met Duke's. Duke's look made Alec very certain that the general welcome him into his world.

He had no idea why. Just because he got along well with Duke's future… Alec didn't know the right word for it. Wife? Friend? Companion? He wasn't sure he wanted to think about it! Why was that?

Lady jerked her head in a direction Alec assumed she intended to go in! There was an uncomfortable silence.

Alec, being the talker, broke it, "I've never been in a hot spring before."

"They are a lot like the constructed spas," Lady seized upon any point of conversation.

"They had Spa's in Manticore for muscles purposes," Alec explained, 'Very relaxing."

"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it," Lady decreed.

"Who said that?" Alec immediately recognised it as a quote.

"Some pre-pulse author," Lady shrugged. Alec smiled. It was the first time he had seen her use so flippant an attitude when it came to her beloved quotes.

"Does Duke like quotes?" Alec pressed as they continued walking.

"No," Lady wrinkled her nose, "But a relationship is not based on sharing every interest."

"But you think you guys would have one thing in common," Alec questioned deliberately. He was playing devil's advocate with absolutely no understanding why. He just wanted to hear her dismiss Duke a little more. It gave him tingles for some reason.

"We do!" Lady informed him and startling Alec, "Isis!"

And with that she pushed on so she was a little in front of her. She was refusing to get into another debate about the merits of Duke. She had agreed to be his consort and complaining was just emphasising all the things wrong with him.

Alec watched as pushed past him, her head down muttering something his transgenic ears picked up as, "We have no more right to put our discordant states of mind into the lives of those around us and rob them of their sunshine and brightness than we have to enter their houses and steal their silverware."

"Hey. I like the quotes fetish," Alec tried making peace, "It's quirky."

"It is not a fetish," Lady retaliated but there was no bite in her words and she was smiling.

"So lead on to the Hot springs," He was grinning broadly. Lady inclined her heads and they moved through the forest in comfortable silence. Alec's eyes widened as he took in the expansive hot spas. He hadn't seen them till just then because of the swirling mist.

"We have to go in," Alec said simply.

"Feel free. I have things to do," Lady moved as if to leave.

"Uh uh," Alec grabbed her in a firm grip, "We're going in."

A cheeky grin spread across his face and Lady's eyes widened. Before she even had a moment to protest she was scooped up in his arms.

"Now agree to go swimming or I'll drop you in clothes and all," Alec threatened. Lady tried to hit him to no avail. He then began to tickle her. Lady had been tickled before, by older sisters and her friends in particular, but never before as a grown woman and certainly not by a grown man.

"Fine," She cried between giggles. Satisfied he put her down.

He quickly stripped of her shirt and his pants so he had nothing but his boxers. Lady tried to appear unaffected when really she was watching him out of the corner of her eye and admiring his body. She wanted nothing more than to run her hands down his abdomen. She scrunched up her eyes, determined to resist any such desires.

She pulled off her dress. Whatever Alec had been expecting when she removed her clothes it wasn't what he got. She wore a scantly shift under her dress straight out of 14 hundred England. She laughed at his expression and ran to the water. She jumped in without a moment's hesitation. She surfaced with a smiled. The water bubbled around her neck and the heat entered and soothed her muscles.

Alec was only a step behind her. He surfaced and let his body relax. The last couple of weeks had been particularly stressful and he could use the break. Some about the motherhouse of Isis brought him peace. Or maybe it was just Lady's presence. She seemed very calm and in control compared to many other girls he knew or had met.

Alec watched her move gracefully around in the water, clearly enjoying the sensation though, he guessed, the novelty had worn off. The wet shift clung to her body and curves and it had gone slightly sheer. That really grabbed Alec's attention. He was, after all, a red blooded male when it came down to it. And though she wasn't the most beautiful woman he knew she did have a spark and those green eyes.

She could feel him watching. Lady didn't know why. She wasn't a great beauty. She wasn't ugly but she wouldn't go down in history… she was no Helen of Troy or Cleopatra. Alec was on their level though. His face looked like it had been carved. Every feature selected carefully and, to a degree, that had been the case. He was athletic, handsome, clever and witty he could have any woman he wanted. Lady was sure that she wasn't on his selection list.

She didn't notice but while she had been thinking a soft scowl had appeared. It made her look angry and Alec didn't like it when she looked angry. So he flicked water at her. She looked up startled. A wolfish grin spread across his face. She retaliated by flicking water at him. He blurred out of the way and rested behind her. He gently scooped her feet out from under her and dunked her. He swam away laughing as she resurfaced spluttering. She didn't look angry and more.

Just really really annoyed.

"Oh oh," Alec breathed and swam further away to escape. He had started a war. He made a silent promise not to blur and see who would win.

He was too busy making promises to notice she had disappeared. And because he honoured his oath not to use any of his X5 abilities he didn't know where she was until she grabbed his ankle and heaved. He went back in a splash of water.

What ensured was a desperate attempt to get each other under water the longest and Alec was ashamed to say that, without his genetic abilities, she was winning fair and square.

He ducked under her grabbing attempt to send him under the tenth time and placed his arms around her waist and drove her back against the wall. She was trapped between his body and the wall and he was using her restricted movement to push her under. She quickly wrapped her legs around his waist and arms around his neck to prevent him from pulling her down with out taking him down to.

"Stalemate," She breathed.

"Not for long," He retorted as he contemplated fair ways of getting out of this dilemma.

"I thought your feline DNA would mean you'd hate water," Lady pointed out.

He shook his head, "Feline doesn't influence much."

They were both frozen in this position trying to think about ways of escaping without giving the other the advantage. Alec was trying to focus but all he could think about was how thin the material was separating them and how the dress had come up around her thighs in the water. Lady was trying to ignore the heat his skin gave off. A different kind of heat to that of the hot water.

Alec came up with a plan. It was the best plan he had but if he wasn't careful it could completely back fire.

He seized the moment and pressed his lips to Lady's in a swift kiss. Lady's arms quickly dropped in surprise. He could quickly push her under. He stepped back at the same time he went to submerge her but her legs got caught in his and he tripped backwards bring her with him. And Alec realised that his plan had failed. Not because he had tripped but because at the same time he put his arms around Lady's waist.

The whole plan was for her to release her hold on him but yet he was grasping her now. He had his arms around her waist when they surfaced. He pulled her up and she gasped for air. She was breathing fast and rapidly. Water was trickling down their faces and her green eyes flashed. They were caught up in the moment and Alec wanted to kiss her again.

"Excuse me," There was a quiet noise.

Lady spun to face whoever was there. It was Almira and Tsarina. The pair had smug grins on their faces.

"What?" Lady snapped harshly feeling slightly embarrassed. What if it hadn't been her two friends? Anyone else would have completely gotten the wrong idea about her and Alec's friendship.

"You're older sister Nefratari is here for tonight and she is asking for you," Tsarina said. Lady nodded and got out of the hot spring.

"Almira, could you show Alec back and get him clothes for tonight," Lady instructed. Almira nodded. Tsarina and Lady walked away.

"I told you so," Tsarina muttered with a smile.

"Be quiet," Lady retorted.

"What's happening tonight?" Alec asked Almira.

"The mother will commune with the goddess. It's a frequent ritual that enables Isis to guide us and then there is a big dance," Almira explained as Alec left the water. She grinned at the sight of his bare chest and understood why Lady had forgotten about Duke.

The pair walked back toward the castle but they passed Duke on the way. He shot Alec and evil glare.

"What is that guys problem?" He demanded.

"Jealously," Almira suggested with a smirk that rivalled Alec's own.

"What do you mean? We're just friends," Alec insisted.

"Uh huh!" Almira agreed without much conviction.

"It's true," He pressed.

"Lets find you some clothes for tonight!"

Lady was being fitted into her dress, as was Nefratari. Along with her older sister's Boudicca from Ireland and Elizabeth from Scotland.

Her dress was just like theirs. A vibrant shade of green, which extenuated the green eyes of the sisters.

Tsarina stood to her side in her own green dress, "so you do find him attractive."

"Yes. Alright I do. He is very attractive," Lady conceded in a frustrated voice. Just as Elizabeth walked behind her.

"Who?" She demanded. She was a nosey sister.

"Probably her consort Duke," Boudicca interrupted.

"No it's not," Tsarina shook her head.

"Who?" Nefratari demanded. She had been trying to act uninterested but she couldn't hide her curiosity any longer

"An X5," Tsarina didn't hesitate to divulge.

"This is why I hate annual festivals," Lady groaned, "I can barely cope with four of my sisters let alone the dozens."

"What about Duke?" Boudicca asked sitting gracefully down in a chair. Lady was always envious of the way Boudicca moved. She was a natural with a samurai sword.

"He's still going to be my consort. Alec is JUST a friend," She emphasised the word just. Her sisters exchanged knowing looks, which were incredibly infuriating.

"Oh for Isis's sake!" She cried and stamped her foot. Her sisters weren't intimidated. She may be the heir to the motherhouse and have important prophecies written about her but she was their sister.

"Mother won't be happy. She picked out Duke for you," Elizabeth mused.

"And I accepted him did I not?" Lady retaliated.

'Yes but…" Nefratari began.

"No but's. This is my life and I have chosen Duke. Nobody is making me change my mind."

He looked absolutely beautiful. Lady could barely shut her mouth. She had seen him in casual clothes of the world but he wore the clothes of her people like a god.

Lady swallowed as she met saw Alec across the crowd with Almira. She stood with her sisters on the dais by the throne of her mother. She was chanting the ritualised words and Lady could barely pay attention.

He had made eye contact briefly before the rite started. He loved the elegant clothes she wore and the way the green seemed to leap out of the dusk. He couldn't understand why all eyes weren't on her. Alec couldn't explain the strange emotion. He couldn't identify it as love because it wasn't like that. It was a niggle in the pit of his stomach that seemed to be there when she went away and even more present when she was in his company.

He didn't have much more time to reflect because at that exact moment the queen's head snapped back and a she opened her mouth.

And when she spoke it wasn't her usual husky voice. It was louder, more infinite. It was the voice of the goddess.

"My people. You have served me well. We have reached a most important time. The prophecy lives and walks at this very moment. I cannot give you any better advice than follow the prophecy closely. It is a time of change. Go with my blessing my people."

The queen slumped forward. She managed to rasp, "The goddess has spoken. Show your appreciation."

Alec was staring in shock as the drumbeat picked up quickly and soon a full fledge song and dance was happening. He was bumped out of the way by the revellers. The bonfire flared in the middle. Alec was stunned. He had never had much faith. He was science man in the most literal sense. And yet what he had seen he couldn't explain. He didn't think the queen had been pretending. The old woman wasn't like that.

Lady appeared at his side, "hello."

"Hey. That was interesting."

"You get used to it," She assured him. There was silence. Lady looked oddly uncomfortable.

"Would you like to dance," She managed. It came out in a quick burst and Alec wasn't quite sure he had heard right.

"Yeah sure. But I don't know the steps," He confessed.

"There are no steps," She smiled, she placed her hand on his chest, "Just follow your heart."

She pulled him quickly out into the throng of moving people. Alec had no time to question he just did what she instructed. He followed his heart. It was pounding and providing him a drum beat to follow. Lady's arm went around his waist and directed him, leading him into a more open space. She moved well. Her hips went in time to the music and she was sensual at the same time as being completely pure.

Her closeness made Alec's body scream for her. He could smell the fragrance that delicately sat upon her skin. It was making his body tingle and hum. Only one woman before had made his body react like this. His arms slid around her body. It felt right and he was following instinct here. Lady was pulled closer so instead of occasionally brushing up against him her whole body moved alongside his. Their entire torso was pressed together.

Lady's mind was going crazy. She had liked boys and she had had her fun with them but never before had her body been so demanding. Just when she felt like she was going to explode there was a curt tap on her shoulder.

"The queen asks for you presence," The man said simply before moving away. Lady regretfully moved away from Alec but the idea of him dancing with any other girl was a source of envy. She grabbed Almira on the way and told her to dance with Alec.

Almira smiled but Lady was too busy trying to think of things her mother would have to talk about to catch the look.

Her mother looked angry.

"Do you have any idea why I might be upset, Lady?" Her mother asked, her voice deadly in tone.

'No," Lady replied stiffly.

"Duke is an honourable man. He comes from a good family and I chose him for you and you accepted. And now you shame him like this," The queen snapped.

"It was not like that," Lady started.

The Queen held up her hand for Lady to stop, "This is not an argument Lady. This is a command. Make him leave, Lady. There is no relationship for you. You are a woman of prophecy. He is an X5."

"But mother…"

"You may go now," The queen turned her back on her daughter.

Lady bit her lip to keep from crying. She moved back through the crowd. Alec saw her face straight away but before he could ask what was wrong.

"Alec I think you should go back to the city now," Lady suggested. Her voice was flat.

"What? What's the matter Lady?" He demanded.

"Nothing. But it is just time you should go. I do not have time to be a hostess. It's an important time," Lady couldn't bear the look on his face as her cruel barbed words struck him, "you are welcome to stay tonight."

"No I think I'll leave tonight. Wouldn't want to outstay my welcome," His words were sharp. He had thought he had an emotional connection with her but he realised how impossible that was… he barely knew her and she was and heir after all. He had nothing left to say to her. So he just left. He did notice the single tear drip down her cheek but he knew it wasn't worth finding out why. He would probably never see her again.

**AN: Sorry it took me so long to update. I had computer troubles. Well please review. Next chapter will be set back in the city with Max and Logan and all those crazy kids we know and love!**

**MD666**


	6. Two

**Disclaimer: don't own anything.**

Max was very disgruntled to find Alec back in town. She had hoped he was gone for good. Alec wasn't thrilled about being there either. He'd much rather be out in the forest with Lady but he had been evicted so he nowhere else to go but back to the city that housed Max.

Max was fuming as he sat on the back of her bike. He had completely interrupted her chance at fencing the ball. She wished he'd go back to where came from. Actually where had he come from. Max tried to look at him while still driving the motorbike.

"Where have you been?"

"Lady's castle," He replied loudly over the roar of the bike.

"You spent time with the cult people?" Max called back incredulously.

"Yeah. Sad I know but oh well," he didn't sound very enthusiastic to discuss it so Max let the conversation go. She didn't really have any desire to see the baring of Alec's soul.

They were fast approaching a sector check point when Alec spoke again.

'Whoa whoa stop here," He cried.

"What now?" Max snapped exasperated.

"No sector pass. Been gettin' past the checkpoints the old-fashioned, sneaky-creep, Manticore way. Thanks for the ride," and with that he was gone. Just like this.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

At that very moment in time Lady was sitting rigidly on a sofa in Logan's house. He faced her and watched as robed people walked around his house.

'So he's back in the city," Logan repeated.

Lady nodded, 'he left the castle and I knew it was his intention to come back here."

"Well I'll let Max know," Logan replied with courtesy.

"I would believe she already knows,' Lady said cryptically. Logan sighed, not sure how to deal with the cult heir. He saw one member fiddling with his eyes-only camera.

"Hey! Can you not touch that?" he snapped. Lady gestured at the man and he backed away.

"He's a tech. Can not help touching things," She said by way of explanation. At that exact point another member of the cult came up behind and jabbed a needle in Logan's neck.

"Ouch!" Logan exclaimed and looked wildly around, expecting his vision to fuzz and to black out. He had immediately assumed that the cult was actually an out branch of manticore and they were betraying him. Nothing happened.

"It is just a blood sample,' Lady told him calmly.

"What do you need a blood sample for?"

"Curiosity."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lady was swirling her sword through the air. She was meant to be training but her movements were idle. Tsarina walked in and watched for a moment.

"You could defy mother and go and find him?"

"Why would I do that?" Lady's strokes moved faster and harder but she didn't look at Tsarina.

"Because you haven't stopped moping," Tsarina pointed out obviously. Lady opened her mouth.

'And don't quote at me," Tsarina lifted a warning finger.

"I was not going to," Lady lied.

"He was remarkably attractive," Tsarina provoked.

"Have you seen Duke today," Lady was determined to ignore the needling from her sister.

"Would you stop deflecting me," Tsarina demanded angrily.

"What?" Lady snapped, "What would you like me to say?"

She didn't wait for an answer but stalked away. She threw her sword carelessly into her sheath and made for the newsroom. She was both relieved and puzzled to find the room in disarray.

"_The policeman's tongue had been ripped out of his head but he managed to draw a rough sketch of a dog man," _a news reporter was saying.

"How old is tis report?" She demanded.

"Couple of days," someone replied.

"Oh goddess. Joshua," Lady breathed and swept back out of the room as quickly as she had come.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lady checked Jam Pony first. Max wasn't there and it turned out Alec was working there too. He wasn't there but a man mentioned something about steel heads.

Lady raced off.

Alec was just facing off with some of them. He said something crude about a ride on their mum. Lady groaned and ran over to him.

"Alec!" she called. He looked up non-plussed from hitting one of the steel heads.

"Oh hey Lady! Want to join in?" he offered.

"No I don't. We have more important things to take care of," She snarled. Angry at his flippant attitude. At that same time a cell phone rang. Alec snapped it open and started talking into it at the same time as hitting the British steel head.

"Oh hey," Alec was speaking into the phone.

"Nothing nothing," he replied to an unheard question and he back handed the large black man, "What's going on."

"No, I'm--I'm fine. So what's up?" Alec finished the steelheads and stole the money out of his pocket. Lady averted her eyes and pretended not to notice him stealing.

Alec hung up, "Ley's go. Logan needs our help."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"It's because she's hot you know," Alec snapped.

Logan and Lady glanced at him. They were walking down a sewer.

"What is?" Logan asked.

Alec snorted, "Everything. Everything she gets away with. You honestly think we'd be down here in this mouldy dump looking for God-knows-what if she were ugly?"

"We're down here to give Max a hand," Logan stated defensively.

Alec laughed outright now, "You're so whipped."

Lady rolled her eyes. Stupid males. They continued down the service tunnel for a while before coming to an open grate.

"After you," Alec offered to Logan and lady.

Lady stared at him in contempt. Had he been this overtly selfish staying with her? If she could read minds she would have know he was deliberately pushing away but they couldn't' see what the other was thinking so they continued to be cold to each other.

Logan swung into the hole first followed by Lady and then Alec. They all automatically covered their noses.

"What is that smell?" Alec gasped.

There was a clothesline with strange objects pegged to it.

"Are they…?" Lady began turning a sickly white.

"Tongues," Alec finished grimly. Lady turned away and gagged. Logan put a comforting hand on her shoulder and Alec was tempted to rip it off but quickly mastered the impulse.

There was a soft noise like a growl and Logan quickly swung the torch around. It lit up the face of a dog man that looked similar to Joshua. It leapt onto Logan. Alec and Lady sprung into action and pulled it of Logan. The dog man backhanded Lady right in the mouth and she went down.

Alec fought the transgenic and when it looked like he was going to subdue it he made a quick exit and slammed the gate down. Alec slammed his fist against it furious. He was now caught in a sewer with Logan, Lady and a score of tongues. What a fantastic day.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lady was having similar thoughts to Alec. Stuck with Alec was the last thing she wanted.

"Wonderful," she kept repeating to herself just like Alec's constant "unbelievable," from the corner. Logan was beginning to get irritated with them both.

Alec then resorted to throwing his shoulder against the grate with a fury.

When it didn't yield he hit the grate again, "great this is just great!"

"Try this," Logan passed him a piece of pipe.

"You couldn't have handed me this before?" Alec demanded.

"Be quite and try it," Lady commanded with a withering glance.

"Bloody women," Alec muttered but he began banging the pipe. Then incredibly another dog faced dropped down to look in.

"Isaac?" Joshua called.

All three people sprang up and ran to the grate. Lady and Logan looked hopeful. Anything to escape the murderous Alec.

"Joshua! Hey, open up," he cried.

"Where's Max. Isaac's out there," Logan said hurriedly. Joshua jerked his head to stare at Logan before running away.

"Jo… wait where are you going?" Alec glared at Logan assuming it had something to do with what he said and threw the pipe in his general direction, "good one!"

"Let's try running at it together," Lady suggested wearily.

Logan nodded, "On three."

When the three of them charged it sprang open.

"Yeah!" Alec cried triumphantly.

They clambered out and followed the way Joshua had gone. They rounded the corner to see Max leaning against a wall sniffling whilst Joshua cradled a dying Isaac. Lady blinked away tears at Joshua's obvious devastation. She felt she was some terrible voyeur intruding in his grief. She turned and walked away. She had no right to see this.

Alec joined her.

"This life sucks," he confessed.

"I believe you," She replied despondently.

"You have these incredible physical gifts but there's only death," Alec continued and Lady was reassured to see this insight into his mind. It didn't last long. As soon as they were out in the light they parted but for the first time she appreciated how truly hard it was for transgenic.

AN: ok! I haven't got much to say. Oh except, clearly this is an Alec centric story but I promise I have a few pleasant things to offer max/logan shippers, won't spoil it though. Any one who reads my other stories they will all be updated in the next three days. First time I've had time in ages.


	7. Zach

**Disclaimer: don't own anything**

"Well when can you get her blood?" An annoying scientist whined in Lady's ear. Well that was how she perceived him. Everyone else acknowledged he asked quite calmly and reasonably.

"It is not exactly easy," Lady retorted, "I can not just walk up and jab her with needle. She is transgenic!" She said the last two words like they explained everything.

"You did with the other one. What's his name?" The scientist searched the surrounding faces for clues to the man's name waving a fact sheet under Lady's nose.

"His name is Logan," she snatched the piece of paper out of his grip, "And he was sitting there distracted."

"I can't do what you want if I don't have both their blood samples," the scientist could see the young woman was getting angry and that was never a good thing.

Lady sighed, "I know. It is just that the one way would could get her to trust us if we do them this small favour."

"I don't think that is the only way we could get them to trust us," Almira came striding in holding a cell phone. Lady scrambled to catch it as Almira threw it to her.

"Did you know Zach was alive?" Came an angry voice.

"Max, how are you?" Lady negotiated delicately sensing the X5 was in a particularly bad mood.

"My… brother… is… alive," Max annunciated every word deliberately. Lady winced. She hated being treated like she was stupid.

"Zach, X5?" Lady questioned calmly but she was making frantic clicking motions with her fingers and widening her eyes significantly. People pressed buttons and began recording the phone call.

"Yes! Did you know?"

"I did not have a clue," Lady said honestly.

"Whatever. Meet me at Jam Pony. You may be able to help me find them," Max snapped the phone off and Lady was left with the dull beep beep.

"Of course queen Max," Lady continued to speak to no body sarcastically, "I live and exist to do your bidding."

Lady chucked the phone back to Almira and muttered disgusted, "Isis protect me."

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

Lady turned up at Jam Pony just as Max knew she would. She grumbled the entire way there but she turned up. She walked straight inside ignoring the yapping of Normal. She had found her uncomfortable street clothes and longed for the comfort of her gowns. They didn't make her feel like an oversized marshmallow.

There was a loud thump from one of the lockers. Lady sighed. When trying to locate X5's just listen for violence.

"We need to talk," Max was saying in her angry voice. Lady had to give one thing to Max, even when the woman was angry there was no shrillness to her voice, which Lady was thanking Isis for right now.

Alec was having his head brutalised by Max… again. Lady wondered if perhaps Alec and Max should just have sex and convert the tension into something less imposing on other people's lives. As soon as she thought that she felt a mixture of amusement and jealousy. Max was more likely to sleep with Normal!

Lady found that thought even more horrific! She put visual Max back in a neat little box with Logan… back where she belonged.

"What's she doing here?" Alec demanded rudely. Lady's green eyes glowered at the X5.

She understood why he was being horrible and knew that he had every right to be that way. Didn't mean she wasn't going to be angry right back. It wasn't her fault. It was her mother controlling her life and the damned prophecy.

"I invited her. She's gonna help me find Zach!" Max's tone left no room for argument. She nodded politely to Lady.

Lady could have laughed out loud at the differences between herself and Max at that moment. Max was wearing svelte jeans that hugged her figure and a tough top that sent out a message that seemed to read 'Bad ass.' Lady was wearing an ugly tracksuit with a jumper 6 sizes too big for her. Even the way they spoke was different. Lady spoke well with good English sentence structure and Max dropped her 'ing's. This whole situation was entirely too absurd. She didn't even have her sword.

"We're leaving now," Max grabbed Alec's collar and made him follow her. Lady followed on her accord.

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

"This is the place," Alec proclaimed.

"You sure?" Max asked. Lady stared at the place with distaste. It seemed dirtier than any other part of the city with a flurry of activity of buying and selling.

"Yeah. Yeah, in fact, I specifically remember slamming one of their heads against this post right here," He looked to Lady for confirmation and she nodded reluctantly, "All right, can I go now?"

Both females glared at Alec.

"Nope. This is your penance for scamming Sketchy into selling steroids. You're lucky I don't turn you in to the cops," Max replied and walked further in.

"Coward," Lady said provocatively.

"You know, I got out of the whole andy business once I heard it could make your heart explode. I mean, once your clientele starts dying off, who the hell are you gonna sell it to? Just didn't make any business sense--you know, long-term," Alec tried to explain to the women but they weren't interested.

"Now, if this is the Steelheads' turf, where are they?" Max was using her X5 vision to search every conceivable angle.

"How should I know? They're probably holed up somewhere, tweaking each others' circuits," Alec suggested.

Lady and Max exchanged a look before gazing slyly back at Alec.

"Maybe they just need to be drawn out?" Lady said innocently.

"Guess we're just gonna have to get their attention, then," Max played along. Neither took their eyes off Alec.

"Please tell me one of you are going to get naked," He pleaded.

"Nope. You're going back into the steroid biz," Max explained. Both girls face were set with determination.

"Yeah, they made it pretty clear that they didn't want me around here," Alec pointed out.

"Exactly. Now imagine how ticked off they're gonna be when they find out you didn't listen," Max observed.

"I think they will be most infuriated," Lady surmised.

Alec tried not to laughed at the way Lady said infuriated and tried to reason with the girls, "Yeah, they're gonna come packing this time. No. No, I--I have zero interest in tangling with these psychos again. You're on your own."

He began walking away but Max seized his arm, "I'm gonna find my brother and you're gonna help me."

"Your brother. That's cute, Max," His expression indicated he thought it was anything but cute.

"He's the closest thing to family I have. I don't expect you to understand that. What I do expect is your cooperation, or else," Max said and for the first time a hint of desperation could be detected in her tone.

"Or else what," Alec's voice didn't soften.

"Or else I tell Normal how you used Jam Pony to peddle steroids, and he'll can your ass. No more job means no more sector pass," Max threatened.

"How am I supposed to get around?" Alec demanded.

"I don't know, but it's gonna make it pretty difficult for you to be a cat burglar," Max knew she had won.

Alec was reflecting. He could just bail and go back to the Isis castle. No he couldn't. He had forgotten he had technically gotten evicted from there by the other woman staring defiantly. He had never thought to really wonder why Lady had snapped and sent him packing; he'd been too cranky with her. Maybe if he did this for Max it would be steps forward to healing the rift between them.

He snorted. She had already seen Max practically bribe him to do it and what did he care if they healed the rift or not. In fact Alec convinced himself that the main objective should be avoiding Max's fist in his face.

"Andy, anyone? Anyone want some andy? You lookin' for some andy, pal? You could beef up a little bit, huh? No? All right. Andy, anybody?"

Max grinned. Lady didn't.

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

"What you mean, you don't have it on you?" A man asked violently.

"Well, like I said, sir, if you just wanna give me your name and address, I promise I'll pop it in the mail tomorrow," Alec offered weakly.

"You wack punk!" The man strode away. Alec tensed, frustrated, as he rejoined the girls.

"This is ridiculous," Alec murmured.

"Hey, you," One of the steel heads stepped out.

"Finally! You realize how long I've been waitin' for you?" Alec asked sounding relieved. This confused the steel head. Did the X5 want trouble? He certainly hadn't brought along a group of burly men. Just two small girls, one who looked like a walking beach ball.

He recovered to deliver his bad line, "Not nearly as long as I've been waitin' for you," and raised his gun.

Alec and Max blurred. Lady did t6he only thing she could think of and dived behind a barrel of some sort. She hated guns. She didn't even have her sword.

The X5's took on the two steel heads with little fuss.

Alec was smirking as he disarmed his steelhead but a cold hard fist clamped around his throat.

"Zach!" Max exclaimed and ran forward. Lady gasped as Alec dangled there. He was going to die if he didn't get out of there. Zach was holding a gun on Max.

Lady slowly moved from the barrel. Zach didn't pay any attention to her after judging her harmless.

"Zack. It's me. It's Max," Max tried talking softly to her brother. Lady felt her heart bleed for Max.

"Who are you?" Zach looked confused. Which made everyone else confused. Why didn't he know who she was?

"Zack, it's me. Zack? It's Max," Her voice was urgent now. Her eyes flicked from her brother to Alec who was finding it harder and harder to breath.

"You're an X5. Show me your barcode," He demanded.

"Max, show it to him already," Alec breathed out.

Max turned slowly and lifted her hair off her neck. Zach dropped Alec.

"You're 452. I know you. You're in my unit," Zach stated simply.

"That's right. I'm Max," She said it softly. Lady could see the devastation spreading across her face. What had they done to him at Manticore?

"Max," Zach repeated. The word familiar on his tongue.

"Come on. Let's get you out of here," Max moved forward to gently take Zach's arm.

Zach looked at the steel heads on the ground, "What about them?"

"They're not in our unit," And Max led the puzzled man away.

"I'm fine," Alec whispered hoarsely after them.

"Are you really fine?" A soft voice asked.

Alec looked up to see Lady still standing there. She appeared concerned.

"Ribs are a bit sore but I'll live," Alec allowed a moment of self-pity.

"We need to take a look at that then," Lady's voice surprisingly gentle. Alec didn't want to be looked after her. They weren't friends. They could have been but they weren't.

She helped him back to his apartment, "Lets see the ribs." She was all business.

Alec winced and pulled off his shirt. Lady's fingers softly touched his side, which was an ugly bruise.

"How did that happen?" She asked shocked.

"Got me in the side before grabbing my throat," Alec smiled grimly. He hadn't been prepared for the X5 at all.

"Have you got any ice?"

Alec gestured to the fridge. Lady her way over. She used this time to compose herself. The close vicinity to Alec had made her heart race. Alec was trying to defuse his own reaction. He thought of Rachel eventually. It hurt him deep in his heart but it steeled himself against Lady.

She brought the ice up to his side and his skin prickled. He couldn't stand it anymore. He pushed her hands away.

"I don't need your help," He snapped.

"What?" Lady retorted angry and incredulous. What had she done wrong?

"I don't need you babying me," Alec's retort sound ridiculous to his own ears.

Lady's eyes widened for a second before she got a look of pure anger on her face, "Maybe that would not be necessary if you did not act like a baby."

And she threw the ice pack at him. Hard!

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

Lady was punching and hitting things with force. He had unbalanced her again. Her body's physical reaction was insane and had driven all thoughts of Duke and obligation from her mind. Then he had made her really furious. Was he ever going to forgive her for that night? Probably not she thought bitterly.

Almira and Tsarina looked at her train.

"Don't you ever sleep?

"You can sleep when you're dead," Lady said.

"Uh! She's quoting again," Almira said.

"Must have seen Alec," Tsarina surmised.

"How do you know?" Lady asked.

"Because you have been doing this on and off for days," Tsarina pointed out like it was the most obvious reason in the world.

"We fought. I do not think he likes me anymore," Lady responded dejectedly and sat down.

"You do remember you're marrying Duke and Alec doesn't have to like you?" Almira pointed out.

"Of course," Lady managed. Tsarina rolled her eyes.

"If you're so attracted to him why don't you marry Alec instead?" Almira asked.

"My mother would pitch a fit," Lady said and couldn't help smiling imagining her mothers reaction if she said they were going to marry the X5.

At that point a man ran in with a cell phone. Lady looked at it warily. She didn't want to take another phone call again from anybody.

"I'm not here," She informed the man.

"It's the X5. The female," The man stuttered.

Max! Great and she had probably heard Lady try and avoid the phone call.

"Max?"

"I need a favour!"

"Are you crying?"

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

Lady watched Max cry as they wheeled Zach down the hall.

"Will he be happy?" Max asked.

"They'll take him out to one of the cult ranches. Small but nice. Doesn't have much to do with transgenic so no memory triggers there," Lady hesitated but then patted the X5 on the arm. Max managed a weak smile.

"Thanks. I mean for a cult you are alright," Max said this sincerely. Lady tried to grin back but she knew what she was going to say was bound to irritate Max.

"You may be seeing a lot more of me than you like. See if you feel the same way then," Lady tried a joke.

Max was staring blankly at her, "What?"

Lady didn't reply. Max didn't want any more people treading on her turf. It sounded cliché but Max knew secretly that was how she felt and whilst the cult of Isis had only proved useful and Lady was nice enough she didn't want to see any more of her than she had to.

Lady knew exactly what was going through Max's mind and chose that moment to leave.

The prophecy was playing out and as much as she protested Lady must play her part.

**AN: not much to say in my AN but I've been told that people have stopped reading cos it's Alec centric but have complimented my writing (happy dance). I love Alec more than Logan because I think he's more of a character that can develop etc. Logan's too stable and down to earth. But I promised Max/Logan shippers that I would respect that relationship!**

**MD666**


	8. Dance Intergration

**Disclaimer:** I DON'T OWN ANYTHING

**DANCE INTERGRATION**

_She will be the queen that brings the cult to light_

_She will befriend the forsaken_

_And take up the broken's plight._

_Alongside her king and mate_

_First comes love and next comes hate_

_What comes after is up to fate_

_He will bring the child and she will make a man_

_To be ready for when time began_

_To aid the one created outside the natural realm_

_With hands and brain_

_Not heart but the same_

_The messiah to save the ending world_

_The sand knew and prepared_

Max and Alec were walking together in silence. Original Cindy had told them about a new dance club that had opened a couple of blocks down from Jam Pony and demanded that they both meet her, Sketchy and the rest of the employers there for a celebration of surviving another day working for Normal.

Max couldn't relax though and Alec, sensing her discomfort, tried to find out what was wrong.

"So Maxie, am I gonna have to beat it out of you or are you just going to confess?" Alec tried a light smile and raised his fist playfully.

Max glared at him, "Nothings wrong!"

"Sure and I'm not amazingly good looking," Alec scoffed.

Max groaned, "Could you be any more up yourself?"

"Wanna find out?"

"Are you gonna back off before I tell you?" Max asked knowing the answer was no. Alec shook his head.

"Fine, I was thinking that 'bout what Lady said. Bout seeing each other more often," Max wrapped her arms around herself and shivered.

"Why does that bother you," Alec tried to keep his voice neutral but he always found it hard where Lady was concerned for some reason.

"I'm not sure. I guess I just don't trust cults especially with all the attempted transgenic cullings," Max honestly didn't like the idea of Lady hanging around.

"Come on, Maxie," Alec stated trying to comfort both of them, "This is Lady we're are talking about here. You know with her proper language and medieval dress, not to mention the tats on her arm. Seriously every time she's been in the city she's been wearing that ugly outfit. There is no way she could blend in here at all."

"I guess you're right but still…"

Alec cut Max off, "What is she gonna do? Quote at us?"

They heard music pounding from inside the building they stopped in front of. There were heaps of people milling around.

"I guess this is it," Max said looking up at the building. Alec's eyes were distracted as a petite blond sashayed past.

"Yep this is definitely it," Alec agreed with his voice low. Max rolled her eyes and examined the building out of habit.

The clubs name was swirling in red neon. _Iccult_. Underneath was writing in shiny silver metal, "**Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music." **It sounded too much like a quote. Max got a bad feeling down her spine. But it was ridiculous. This was an urban dance club, way out of Lady's comfort zone. Just a coincidence then.

As soon as they entered the music was almost over whelming. The powerful senses of the X5's steeled against the music and the smell. Max could almost taste the sweat and shuddered. Alec grinned a little bit harder.

They barely even made it three metres in the door when Cindy seized Max's arm.

"You'll never guess whose playing bartender," She squealed over the music. Max looked at her friend bewildered.

"Oh come on," She pulled Max through the crowd and Alec had no choice but to follow, tearing his eyes away from a rather attractive body on the DJ stage. Cindy danced her way to the bar obviously enjoying the techno that pulsed over their bodies like a physical entity.

Max's eyes widened when she look at Herbal.

"My god, Herbal how are you," Max grinned. It had been so long since seeing her friend.

"Fine, my sister, the great one has given blessing on my life," Herbal answered.

Max smiled grew larger. He was still the same cryptic man. "How did you pull this job here?"

Herbal shifted for a fraction of a second and Alec detected his uneasiness, "I was in the area and I knew the owner."

"Man this place is happening," Cindy cried. Alec had to agree as he surveyed the large crowd of dancing bodies. It was a chance to forget that they were in the middle of a depression.

"The groups over here," Cindy gestured to a packed table on the outskirts of the dance floor. It was so dark in here. They couldn't separate the faces with out using their transgenic visual.

Sketchy grabbed Alec's hand, "dude, this place is awesome."

"Definitely cranking," anther Jam Pony employee agreed.

There was a brief silence as the music stopped and people cried their protests.

"Ladies and gents," A female voice filtered over a microphone, "If you guys would just show ya appreciation for DJ Almira. Make some Noiiiize!"

Alec started at the sound of Almira's name. He knew an Almira. But she couldn't be here. It wasn't possible. It wasn't fair. Iccult. God, how could he have been that stupid?

"Alec look at the mike girl," Max commanded sharply. Alec complied. She was hot, with tight leather pants and a ripped form-fitting top. Chains dangled from the pants and her fingers were covered in rings. And her green eyes burned in the darkness. Alec almost dropped his drink.

"I know right," Sketchy laughed slapping him on the shoulder, "Had the same affect on me."

Alec stared open mouthed as Lady played to the audience, coy smiles and sexy body moves. They made eye contact and she beamed. Like he was a stranger. A man walked on stage and slid his arms around her. It was Duke. She leaned back against him and he whispered in her ear. She nodded her face serious.

Then she walked to the edge of the stage and slid off into the crowd. Disappeared into those twisting bodies. Another green eyed woman slide past and gave Alec an apologetic shrug. He recognised her as Tsarina, Lady's older sister. This was not happening.

Max was having similar thoughts. She had to get in there and talk to Lady. Find out what the hell was going on. She moved towards the writhing bodies. Half the table cheered and followed her. Alec took a large gulp of spirits.

Max pushed and shoved her way to the centre and tried to ignore the groping male hands. Lady was in the middle moving with the best of them. She blended in effortlessly. Her tattoos were no longer out of place; they just fit with the gothic rocker image.

Lady smirked at Max and shook her hips suggestively as men hooted. Max knew that if she started a scene everybody would watch. She started dancing too, mirroring the other girl's movements, so she could get closer to Lady. They looked like a dancing duo.

Lady put her hands on her neck and looked over her shoulder, "Waz up, Max?"

Max resisted the urge to hit. The bad grammar didn't suit her. It wasn't Lady but what angered Max most was that nobody would know that. Lady slid into this part like it was actually her.

Max did a complicated dip with her body and twisted, it brought her lips past Lady's ear. Nothing to overt but she growled, "What's going on here?"

"Hot from the hands promiscuously applied, Round the slight waist, or down the glowing side," Lady responded. It was a quote. Max didn't know if she was relieved to get a glimpse of the real Lady or further angered. Max moved as if to ask the question again but Lady answered.

"We needed a stronger presence in the city," Managing to dance and talk at the same time, "Dance clubs let us keep an eye on so many people."

Max glared, "You're invading my space."

Lady shrugged and the cheeky grin returned, "On with the dance! Let joy be unconfin'd; No sleep till morn, when Youth and Pleasure meet."

"What the hell?"

"Lord Byron. Pretty smart guy. Now I think I'll go say hi to Alec. Enjoy the dance," Lady suggested.

Max shifted. Part of her honestly did want to let go and enjoy the movement with her friends but the Isis cult filled the walls. Which brought her to another thought. Herbal worked here. She was going to have a little chat with the bartender.

Meanwhile Lady shimmied through the crowds with practiced ease. She couldn't help smiling. It was fun and she did feel sexy. Not because of the clothes. The leather was hot and the shirt revealing but because of the glances she was getting. Looks filled with lust that made her feel wanted and attractive. They were uncensored and full of heat. She didn't get that at the castle.

Alec didn't see her coming, he sensed her. He didn't look around though. That would be bad. She leaned over him, her hair brushing his neck and whispered in his ear, "No Sane man will dance."

She moved to sit in front of him with her back to the room. Her expression was familiar. Tough and serious. Alec felt his body react to her. She was sitting in front of him in tight leather and looking incredible but it was her eyes and the expression, which made him pine for her. Lady was having a similar reaction but they both hid it well.

"Hello Alec," She said.

Those soft words, so different from how she spoke onstage, made his stomach tighten.

"Hey Lady. Love the tattoos," He gestured at her arm.

"You have seen them before," She pointed out.

"Never in this setting," he gazed around at the club before eyeing her outfit. She blushed.

"You look different," Alec pressed.

"I feel different," Lady sighed.

"It isn't you," Alec told her earnestly.

"Why because I cannot be sexy or modern?" Lady snapped taking his words to heart. Alec realised the conversation was getting too emotional so he shifted to safe Alec mode. The one he used to hide behind.

He gave her a cocky grin and leered, "You proved that theory wrong."

Lady didn't take his eyes away from him. Alec took another swig of alcohol and was distraught to see it come to an end.

Lady noticed and held a delicate hand in the air. A waitress scurried over.

"A bottle of Vodka and two shot glasses please."

The woman hurried away and Alec looked suspicious.

"You gonna try and drink me under the table?" Alec joked.

The bottle and glasses appeared quickly. Lady poured two shots and smiled, "that is exactly what I am going to do."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lady's head was slumped forward propped up on the table by her arm. She was giggling outrageously. It was so out of character for her. Alec was better but not by much. His transgenic metabolism meant he could process the alcohol faster but staring at the second bottle he winced. It was going to be a bad morning.

It was his shot and he groaned as the fiery liquid seared down his throat. There was cheer from the crowd that they had attracted. Lady tried to pour another shot but her hand was shaking and she was laughing too much. It was going all over the table. This was not good. If there was a fight all she would be able to do is snigger at them. She didn't really care though. Alec sighed at her attempts to pour the alcohol and wrapped his own hand around the bottle to steady it. His warm fingers brushed hers and she lifted her eyes to meet his. They bored into him like green fire.

"How the hell did we get into a drinking competition?" Alec demanded. Lady shrugged before flinging her head back and gulping the shot. She swayed for a second but then slapped the glass down triumphantly. The crowd whooped. Alec thought he recognised Sketchy voice and wondered if Max was even still in the club.

"Body shots!" some faceless person screamed.

"What are they?" Lady barely had time to ask before Lemon, salt and tequila made it onto the table. Some sensible part of Alec was thinking logical things like she has drunk way too much and she's not even the legal drinking limit. The other, more primitive part of him, was eyeing the smooth skin.

Some other drunk in the audience was describing the 'body shot' process to a baffled Lady. She shrugged her consent, which was evidence of how truly drunk she was.

"Sure," She chirped, "Unless pretty boy here wants to give up!"

"Not a chance, sweetheart," Alec smirked. He was officially drunk too. The boys in the group howled and yelled suggestive comments but Alec ignored them. The two people who had provided the supplies for the 'body shots' moved forward and grabbed Lady's wrist, they sprinkled salt on the skin, near her tattoo. She shivered.

"It tickles," She explained. Alec was pouring a tequila shot and selecting a slice of lemon. He gently took her arm and without making eye contact or hesitating he licked her skin. He could taste the salt and sweat on her flesh but he couldn't think. He threw the alcohol into his mouth and sucked the lemon. The people went wild.

The song changed, something sexier, more grinding.

"The truest expression of a people is in its dances and its music. Bodies never lie," Lady whispered not taking her eyes of Alec. He smiled at the quote. The people were debating where she would lick the salt off Alec. They settled on the curve of his neck, just before it met his shoulder. Lady's eyes glittered with the promise of victory. She wouldn't back down! She wanted to win.

She had to stand on tiptoe to reach his neck using her hand on his chest to balance her and one to hold the shot. She swayed on the unfamiliar high heels and Alec slid an arm around her waist to steady her. With a quick flick of her tongue she took the salt off his skin, swallowed the liquid and stuffed the lemon into her mouth. She wrinkled her nose at the sour taste.

Alec neck tingled and he fought to be able to let her go. She staggered back and sat on the table for support, her legs swung and the leather shined in the beating flickering neon lights. Deep inside she was shocked that she had actually gone through with it. It wasn't right or ethical but it didn't feel wrong to her either.

Again the debate of location began. Half wanted him to take it from the same place, the curve of her neck but a louder more riotous half wanted him to take it from the expanse of flesh just above the swell of her breast. Alec hesitated then and he saw it flit through Lady's mind as well. Somewhere in the drunken haze they both knew that was a boundary too far but another part didn't care. The part they had been repressing had been freed and was taken advantage of their vulnerable inebriated state. It was truly amazing what alcohol would make even the shiest person do.

"I drink when I have occasion, and sometimes when I have no occasion," Lady announced to the group and, though they had no idea what it meant, applauded and took it as consent.

The salt was sprinkled and Lady pulled her shirt down a little more to allow better access. Alec's breath caught. She really was beautiful. He tried to cover his face with a cocky smirk but failed. He knew the look in his eyes was raw and powerful. A full glass was shoved into Alec's fingers and a lemon slice followed. He moved close to Lady and stood between her legs. Lady was aware of how good he felt so close and how warm. She thought she saw Tsarina amongst the faces and prepared for reprimand but her big sister winked and put a finger to her lips. She moved on with a dark handsome man in tow.

Lady did not have time to grin because Alec moved, holding himself balanced with one hand on the table, somehow managing to hold a glass and lemon in the other. He brought his lips to her skin. He didn't move fast but slow to get all the salt. Lady placed and unconscious hand on his hip.

The crowd roared its approval and began tugging Alec's shirt. The X5 complied and pulled it over his head, the leather jacket already hung over a chair. Alec couldn't help playing to the audience a little bit. He was a show pony at heart. All those years of faceless conformity at Manticore had influenced that!

Lady wondered when the management of the club would come and demand Alec reclothe but she realised nobody would after all she owned the club. No one was going to stop her. She was expected to rely on her own will power to stop but her attraction to Alec was rising to the surface. All the things that might have occurred if her mother hadn't kicked him out of the castle were flashing through her mind.

They were putting the salt on the centre of his chest but hardly any was staying. It was falling to the floor softly leaving only a light dusting actually on him. Then something happened that Lady didn't expect. She was passed her alcohol but they forced Alec to take the lemon rind in his mouth. Holding it for her.

In that instant Lady realised that Alec was having similar thoughts. They were both feeling the draw and pull towards each other. It was incapacitating and consuming and at the same time they were wondering who was going to stop it. How far they were going to take this moment.

Lady let her tongue drag up his chest and felt him stiffen and close his eyes. Then, with a hand cupped around his neck, she pulled his mouth towards her. Her lips closed around the lemon, the sharp tang filled her mouth, and her mouth brushed his very gently. She would have kissed him deeply but a hand closed over her shoulder.

It was a strong hand and the fingers dug into her muscle making her grimace. Lady managed to focus on Duke's angry face.

"What are you doing?" he hissed.

"None of your business," she retaliated. Lady didn't want to be nice to him. She wanted nothing to do with him. She was just glad she didn't slur her words. That would have been embarrassing.

"You have shamed me in front of a large crowd," He yelled. Employees of the club, servers of Isis, moved forward to disperse the crowd.

"What did you expect it would be to be my consort Duke? I was not going to be your slave or devoted to you," Lady shouted back. Almira appeared as if by magic, touching her elbow softly and Herbal moved behind Duke, ready to restrain him if he went for Alec.

"This will not go unpunished, Lady," Duke threatened. There was hurt in his eyes though. Caused by a 19 year old that he once thought was very sensible. Something had changed that. Or someone and that was the problem. Lady saw it all reflected there and it perturbed her.

"I need some air," Lady declared and tried to walk gracefully out of the club. It was easier said than done. She could barely stay upright and she was close to passing out.

She pushed out into the street and began walking. No really sure where she was going and completely unaware of any danger that may be waiting in some dark alleyway. She heard footsteps and turned to see Alec. She didn't even acknowledge him but kept battling with her stilettos.

"Damn shoes," She murmured to nobody in particular. They wedged themselves in a crack in the pavement and she stumbled. Alec caught her and held her against his chest. The night was hot and steam rose from the sewer grates.

"I am tired," She confessed, "And I think I am going to pass out."

Alec sighed, "My house is nearby. I'll take you there."

And he did. He carried her and no body thought it was strange or odd at all or, if they did, they didn't say anything about it. He managed to move into the room with the girl still in his arms. She was still awake but she wasn't talking. Just her steady breathing.

He took her straight into his room and lowered her onto the bed, some how taking off the shoes. He looked at the leather pants tentatively before deciding that they needed to come off.

"The pants need to go," He told her. She sleepily nodded and tugged them off as best she could lying down. She had no inhibitions or reservations, which was partly the alcohol and partly her own security in her body. None of these ridiculous media influenced body images. Alec folded them and tucked her into bed. Her eyes had fluttered closed and she was asleep. Alec left the room closing the door behind him.

He was sober now. The alcohol had mostly passed through his metabolism and he could feel the edge of a headache coming on. But he felt very content as he lay down on his couch after fetching a blanket. He kicked his shoes off and his T-shirt and jeans followed, leaving him lying on his back in his boxers. He couldn't help thinking it was going to be an interesting morning.

**AN: This chapter is a little self indulgent but oh well. I wanted a fun light hearted chapter that was a bit of character development. Goodie gum drops! Please review!**

**MD666**


	9. Gil Girl

**Disclaimer:** own none of it!

**GIL GIRL**

Lady woke in a strange bed and sat up quickly. She immediately wished she hadn't because her head pounded. She felt sick and there was a pain in her stomach. Lady decided she didn't care whose bed it was because she was going right back to sleep. She felt hot under the covers and when figuring out she couldn't pull her pants off because they were already gone she lifted the shirt off and threw it on the ground so all she had was underwear and a bra.

She felt more comfortable now and snuggled deeper into the sheets feeling safe and warm despite the aching in her skull.

Memories flashed back from last night. Smooth hot skin and Alec's tongue on her flesh… above her breast. That slightest brush of lips as he held the lemon for her. Duke intervening and herself storming away only to be carried by Alec into his bed.

Where was Alec? She was certain she had passed out when she made it here but had Alec slept by her side?

"How are you feeling?" A voice asked from the door. She instinctively clutched the sheets a little higher and looked at Alec. It was hard for her to focus on his face as he was standing there in his boxers. She sat up and tried to look him in the eye.

"My head hurts," She sounded groggy and sleepy, and Lady remembered her previous plan of going back to sleep. It seemed like a really good plan still.

"That's what happens when you drink two bottles of… whatever the hell we were drinking," Alec concluded.

"I feel like I am going to be sick," Lady muttered bringing her palm up to rest against her forehead. It felt hot.

Alec felt a flash of concern, "Would you like help to the bathroom?"

"I think it is safer if I do not move," Lady lay back down on the bed.

"Good to see you are back to the proper grammar. You started to freak me out last night," Alec joked.

"I also agreed to be in covered and salt and licked last night," Lady pointed out.

"I have to go to work soon," Alec informed her trying to change the subject quickly. He had forgotten Lady's and Duke's agreement.

"If you give me a phone I will ask someone to… collect me," Lady had a hand over her eyes.

"That's fine. Just sleep and have a shower. Help yourself to any food if by chance you feel up to eating, which you should probably do," Alec moved around his room picking up clothes.

"Do not mention the word food," Lady threatened. Alec smiled. He couldn't help it. She looked so small and vulnerable in his bed that he wished he could have the day off just to watch her but Normal was likely to can his ass.

As Alec bustled around trying to get ready for work Lady attempted going back to sleep but she was too aware of his presence. Every sound he made seemed louder to her ears, which Lady didn't know was because she had a hangover or because it was him.

When his cell phone went off she decided it was because she had a hangover.

"Hey?" Alec answered the phone, "Oh hey Sketch."

Lady watched him talk and for some reason despite the events of last night things didn't feel too weird.

Alec had wrinkled his nose and was nodding, "Man, I know they got two-fers but something has come up."

Lady realised he was talking about her so she pointed at herself, gave an uncharacteristic thumbs up and mouthed, 'I'm fine.'

"Never mind, I'll be there." Alec hung up the phone and looked at Lady, "I gotta bail on you. You sure you're ok?"

"Dandy! What is a two-fer?"

"It's a um stripper term," Alec looked very interested in his shoes.

"You're going to one of these stripper places?" Lady's tone wasn't accusing merely interested.

"Guess I am," He answered with a shrug, "Which means I won't be home till late but if you wanna stay another night that's cool. I mean I could understand if you didn't want to go back and face Duke."

"I don't think I'm moving," Lady moaned.

Alec placed a glass of water on a bedside table with head pills next to it.

"See you when I get home."

Lady was awake long enough to see him get of the door.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

She awoke feeling slightly less sick but with a headache that made it hard to think. Stumbling she managed to gulp the pills in the water down.

Somehow staggering out of Alec's bed she went in search of a shower, finding that she went looking for clothes of Alec's that she could wear.

She grabbed a pair of clean boxers and an oversized shirt. The shower felt like the best thing. Her body felt stiff and dirty and the water refreshed her.

She slid out of the shower feeling almost better. She had a strange detached feel that came after a hard night of drinking but her headache had almost faded and her stomach was bearable.

Dressed she felt comfortable and clean. Lady gazed around the room trying to find a clock to tell her the time but found none, she felt disorientated. She came to the sudden observation that she was inside Alec's house alone. Lady resisted the urge to snoop around the place for about three minutes before the curiosity became unbearable. She strolled around the house looking for anything that might give away some deep dark secret. It was a remarkably impersonal house with a large TV.

She opened one of the draws and snapped it shut at the sight of a packet of condoms.

The door opened and she blushed as Alec walked in. he didn't notice her cheeks turning bright red.

"What time is it?" Lady asked.

"Late. Or early depending how you look at it. I need your help!"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"And Asha is fixing his vest?" Lady asked feeling his pulse.

"Yeah," Logan answered.

"Well he's stable, I mean, I think he is. His pulse is strong but he needs to be back in real water," Lady concluded. She sat on a chair nursing her head. The ride on the motorbike had refreshed her headache. She also looked ridiculous in Alec's boxers, shirt and stiletto shoes.

Max had given her such a strange look that she had automatically informed the X5 that she hadn't slept with Alec night. It simply blurted out of her mouth before she could stop herself.

Max had shrugged and pointed, "whatever. The merman is in there."

Logan was explaining the whole situation while everybody else was working on saving the merman. Lady had only briefly seen the blond girl but figuring if she was here and helping she must be in the circle of trust.

Max strode in, "Find anything?"

"Three identical vans left sector nine after the raid on the bar. They passed through the checkpoint of sector eleven a few minutes later and then moved on to sector twelve a few minutes after that," Logan said pointing at his computer.

"And no record of them leaving sector twelve?" Max asked twirling a book in her hand. Lady read the cover. Hans Christian Anderson. It sounded vaguely familiar.

"Nope. They're in there somewhere. There was a lot of industry in that area before the Pulse. Could be White set up his operation in an abandoned factory. It's gonna take some time to narrow things down," Logan confessed.

"We don't have any time," Max retorted.

"I'm doing the best I can, but to tell you the truth, I'm not so sure this is a good idea to begin with," Logan said patiently.

"I'm not letting White have her!" Max stated determinedly.

"We are not going to leave her there," Lady soothed.

"He could end up with all of you," Logan pointed out.

"That's a risk I'm willing to take. Help me with this, Logan. I want this story to have a happy ending," Max deposited the book into her hands.

Alec and Asha walked out behind the man, his vest fully repaired.

"Yeah, well, you're welcome," Alec muttered.

"What's going on?" Max demanded

"Don't know. He wants out," Asha guessed.

"Why?" Max wondered, confused.

"Well, maybe he's smart and wants to go back to the water, where he can breathe and no one wants him dead," Alec surmised sarcastically.

The man grabbed Max and pulled her towards the door of Logan's apartment. Max turned back to the others, "Or maybe he knows where White's got her. Come on."

Alec looked at Lady, who sighed and got up to follow the X5's.

"Nice seeing you Logan," She said as she walked past.

"Try and stop them from doing anything dangerous," Logan told her. Lady snorted and walked out of the door.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Hey, where you going?" Max called after the man.

"What's it look like? See, I told you. He's not gonna die for anybody. He's going right back into the water. He's gonna swim away and meet a nice flounder somewhere," Alec began on a tangent but ceased it with a look from Lady.

"Do you have to?" Lady asked.

"Do you have to wear my boxers with stilettos?" Alec joked.

"It was either that or go naked," Lady grumbled trying to put distance between herself and Alec.

"What makes you think that I would be adverse to that in any way?" Alec yelled after her. She shook her head and fought a smile. The man walked down to the waterfront where an old tire was stuck on the edge of the shore.

"Now what?" Alec asked impatiently.

The man pulled a blanket off the tire to reveal small, round, shiny objects floating in the shielded water.

"What are those?" Alec wanted to know while trying to get a better look.

"Eggs," Max responded simply.

Alec pulled back quickly, "He's not gonna eat those, is he?"

"No. They're hers," Max's voice was soft with comprehending as the man made high-pitch squeaks, which sounded like a dolphin.

"She's your mate, right?" Max looked the man in the eye. He answered the question with another squeak and smile.

"We're gonna get her back," Max assured him as Alec cell phone rang. Lady concluded it didn't sound as bad as it did when you had just woke up.

"Yeah. Logan. Uh-huh. I'll say one thing for ya... you got great timing." He hung up without a good bye. Lady thought this indicated pretty strongly how frustrated he was playing the good guy and uniting the lovers.

"He find White's place?"

Alec rolled his eyes, "Of course he did. He always does stuff like that."

Max grinned broadly, "Come on. Let's go get your girl."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Explain my part in this," Lady mumbled.

"What do you mean?" Alec turned towards her.

"Well I have no sword, I cannot fire a gun to save my life and I certainly can not move with stealth through this facility. So why am I here?" Lady prompted again.

"You're here to call backup if we need it," Alec waved at Max on the phone.

"How do I know?"

"We don't come out for ages!"

Max hung up the phone and passed it to Lady, "We're getting wet."

"I am too young to deal with this," Lady said to herself as she watched them all go their respective ways.

She couldn't stop checking her watch even though she knew only minutes had passed. After ten minutes she heard an alarm sound and clutch the phone tighter. If they weren't out in twenty she would call Logan and Asha could pull her friends in.

She was worried about Alec. She knew he was a genetically modified soldier but she couldn't help it. She knew that Logan was thinking about Max exactly the same way right now and Lady remembered her plan to give them something they both wanted very much. All she needed was Max to let her guard down enough to get a blood sample.

She was clutching the phone tighter as time ticked away and had raised just raised the phone to punch in the numbers when Max and Alec came flying down the hill. They didn't pause except to help the man and woman out of the water pipe and pull Lady to her feet.

Alec was bleeding but they all had big smiles on their face.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"I cannot believe you got shot," Lady exclaimed for what seemed like the fourth time.

"Does it make me more attractive?" Alec asked wiggling his eyebrows.

"No!"

"You're right. It's hard to get prettier than I am," Alec agreed with a perfectly serious face. She touched his shoulder and he flinched.

This should be taken care of," Lady told him.

"I'm fine," Alec protested wincing at the same time.

"We gotta get this cleaned," Asha disagreed, interrupting.

"Thank you!" Lady smiled, "Why is it that only woman can see sense?"

"No idea but hey if he doesn't want the morphine," Asha said deliberately slow.

"Morphine?" Alec widened his eyes. The pain was getting worse now that the adrenalin was fading and he could think of worse things than playing doctor with Asha and Lady.

They moved to leave and Max intercepted them.

"Thanks. For, you know...helping out today," She said sincerely to all three before turning to Alec, "Wanna say goodbye?"

Alec looked at the pair of transgenic's, clearly in love, "I think we need to get this thing cleaned up." Max smiled knowingly.

After Asha had helped clean Alec's wound it was Lady's responsibility to get him back to bed. He was a bit uncoordinated from the dosage of morphine Asha had given him. She had given him a larger dose because she was uncertain about how his body would process it.

"They were really sweet," Alec professed slumping on Lady as she tried to get him into his house.

"Yes Alec," She breathed a sigh of relief as she opened the door. She led him to his bedroom and tried to let him down on to the bed. She grunted with the effort.

"I sound very drunk don't I?" Alec stated.

"Yes you do!" Lady confirmed.

"It's strange because my body feels tired and my mind feels clear but I'm having trouble communicating," Alec continued to divulge as Lady pulled off his shirt. He managed to wriggle himself out of his pants. Lady pulled the covers up around him but he resisted.

"I can't sleep with my shirt on," He whined.

"Fine!" Lady helped him sit up and worked his arms out of his shirt so he was topless. She put her hands on his back to ease him back onto the bed. The white bandage was a stark contrast to his brown skin.

He was lying on his back when he saw that she was so close to his face. Her long dark hair was brushing the side of his cheeks and he couldn't resist raising a hand to her face.

"Alec, you've been shot."

"And you're beautiful," Alec said softly.

"I am with Duke," Lady protested.

"But you don't love him. Hell, I'm not even sure you like him!" Alec retorted.

"That's not true," Lady tried to argue.

"Yeah it is! Just one kiss Lady then you can feel guilty and go back to Duke. Do the honourable thing because of a stupid prophecy," Alec had sat up.

"It isn't stupid," Lady whispered but felt her resolve disappearing, she opened her mouth for one last stand but Alec captured her lips. It was gentle and brief but it caught Lady's breath.

Alec pulled away, smirked and then leant in again.

"You said one kiss," Lady put a hand on his chest.

"Bugger that!" He slid his arms around her waist and kissed her again. She felt him his tongue slide across her bottom lip and the instinctively opened her mouth for him.

She slid her arms around his neck. Her tongue touched his and he pulled her closer. He bumped his shoulder against her and cried out.

"Sorry," Lady apologised quickly.

"Don't be sorry," He said falling back with a satisfied air.

She tried to glare at him but couldn't manage it.

"I have to get back to the castle," She said softly.

He nodded sleepily.

"I'll just grab my clothes," She said looking for the tight leather pants.

"Wear that! It will mean you have to come back and see me again, just to return my clothes."

Lady opened her mouth to say something but Alec had already drifted into a morphine-induced sleep.

**AN: um nothing to say. Please review! Everything may look happy and lovely but I haven't forgotten Rachel. hint hint and I'm leading up to the Max/Logan surprise. I'm gonna stopping giving things away and go to sleep. please review. pretty please!**

**MD666**


	10. Medium is the Message

**Disclaimer**: nothing including the ability to spell disclaimer so I'm going back now to fix it.

**Medium is the Message**

Lady winced as the slap stung her cheek. Her mother was livid and the backhand made her knees buckle.

"You stayed out all night with him, disgraced Duke and then spent the night at his apartment," Her mother ranted.

"That is right," Lady conceded, keeping her eyes forward and expression blank.

"This is unacceptable, Lady," She cried, "And you should have been paying closer attention." Tsarina took a step back as her mother rounded on her.

"Do not talk to Tsarina like that," Lady snapped, "It was no fault of hers. She is not my keeper."

Tsarina gave her a grateful smile behind her mother's back.

"You will go this instant and apologise to Duke. You will never see that transgenic male again," The queen commanded.

"No!" Lady responded forcefully.

"What?" Her mother hissed. Tsarina's eyes widened at Lady's obvious defiance.

"I will not go simpering to Duke when I am the heir," She retorted.

"You have a duty to the prophecy and Duke is the man I selected for you," The older woman spat out.

"No, Mother that is where you are wrong. I am sick of this prophecy and how it takes my free will. It can work around me from now on. I will see Alec again and I will not have Duke as a consort," Lady decided. Tsarina gasped audibly.

"Do not oppose me," Her mother whispered harshly.

"And do not control me," Lady rejoined.

"Fine, but I will no longer have you as an heir," Her mother threatened.

"You may try but the prophecy was rather specific about who it wanted for the central role," Lady warned.

"That is true," Her mother mused, "But I can evict you from the castle."

"What?" that came from Tsarina.

"She can leave," Her mother concluded.

"Wait this is ridiculous…" Tsarina began.

"Fine!" Lady interrupted. And she turned on heel and stormed out of the castle.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Alec was avoiding work at the Jam Pony as he usually did. Normal had given up trying to instruct him today as he always seemed to wriggle out of it. He really wanted to reflect on his kiss with Lady. Sure he was drugged and wounded but he couldn't get it out of his mind.

He kept seeing her in his mind, just appearing in Jam Pony and kissing him. Even if he didn't want to picture he did it automatically. Like right now his mind had created this perfect image of her walking toward him in casual clothes… looking very serious.

"I need your help," She said.

"Wait you're not a day dream?" He stammered.

"That morphine really hit you bad," Lady surmised giving him a surprised look.

"No I just… never mind. What do you mean help?"

"It is complicated. Could we sit and talk about it?" She proposed.

"Yeah sure. I honestly didn't expect to see you so soon," He confessed, "I wanted to but thought you would be sidling up to Duke."

"That is kind of what I wanted to talk about," She said lowering herself into a chair. She looked around the people of Jam Pony, clearly awkward.

"Shoot," Alec took the seat opposite her and waited patiently.

"I got uh kicked out of the castle and the cult," She stated quickly. Alec stared at her in shock.

"I told my mother that I would not be with Duke and the prophecy could operate with what I wanted," Lady finished.

"You didn't do this for me did you?" Alec asked feeling the onset of a panic. He was certain of his growing feelings for Lady but he thought quitting something you had been involved in your entire life was a bit extreme for their early relationship.

"No. Well I was banned from seeing you, which influenced my decision but I had to escape. I knew I had changed. I'm rarely quoting anymore." She finished speaking, not even sure what the last fact had to do with anything.

"Ok let me digest this information," Alec said running his hand through his hair.

"I am sad that they won't continue the work I started. I had the scientists working on a cure for Max and Logan to earn her trust. I only needed Max's blood but now…" She trailed off.

"A cure?" Alec asked sharply. Lady nodded.

"So how can I help?" Alec said warily. He was not the kind of guy people came to ask for help.

"I need you to help me to find a place to stay. I don't think I have been cut of financially but even if I have I can get Tsarina to send funds," Lady said.

"Sure. I can help you find an apartment. You wanna go now?" Alec offered.

"Yes but don't you have work?" Lady looked at Normal who was delivering his traditional 'bip bip bip' line.

"No… well yeah but I'm sure I can get out of it," Alec winked at Lady and walked towards Normal.

"Hey Normal, I need the afternoon off. I have a meeting with a fighting manager. Could see me back in the ring for the right price!" Alec informed his boss. Normal beamed at the young man and practically shoved him out the door.

They walked side by side with the bike in between them.

"I have to stop by Joshua's first," Alec said, patting his backpack.

"Why?"

"Tried to sell these ham hocks but there was no market. I figure it was the least I could do for him after, you know, trying to kill him," Alec shrugged.

Joshua seemed overjoyed to see Lady again. He clearly liked her but he thought they were looking for Max.

"Actually, I came to see you. I, uh, scored a sweet deal on some ham hocks. My buyer fell through on me. You want 'em?" Alec proffered.

Joshua eyed them eagerly and Lady smiled at his blatant desire for the ham hocks. Joshua's face fell, "I don't have any money."

"Oh, that's all right. Take it as an "I'm sorry" for trying to kill you that one time," He tossed the backpack to Joshua and began strolling around his house, "Hey, man, this is nice digs. This, uh...oh, wow. This is real nice." He had spotted a painting in the corner.

Lady moved closer to examine it as Joshua said, "It's mine."

"Joshua, this could be worth some serious coin," Alec's eyes were shining and Lady could almost see dollar signs in them.

"It's good?" Joshua looked at the pair of them.

"Oh, yeah, you kidding me? I mean, look at that attention to detail. You don't see that kind of work anymore," Alec gushed. Lady nodded her agreement as she took in the brush strokes and the colour.

"Take it," Joshua removed the painting and thrust it in to Alec's hands. The transhuman looked proud.

"No, no, those ham hocks aren't worth that much," Alec laughed and tried to pass the painting back.

"I want you to," Joshua said sincerely.

Alec looked taken back by this display of authentic generosity, "Well, all right. Thanks."

"He should sign it," Lady suggested.

Joshua nodded eagerly and signed his name in felt marker.

"All right," Alec said grinning and started to leave, "enjoy your ham hocks."

"Bye Joshua," Lady said following Alec out.

"That was sweet of him," Lady said as they hit the street.

"Yeah. It's gonna be worth a fortune," Alec answered enthusiastically.

Lady narrowed her eyes, "You are going to sell it?"

He nodded not even looking at her. His eyes were all for the painting. He must have felt her glare on his skull because finally he flicked his gaze up to her face.

"It's not like that Lady. My motives aren't purely greedy. The world should see this painting and it is kind of ironic having a painting by a transhuman in the galleries. Besides I was actually talking about selling the frame." Alec smirked at the idea.

Lady grinned too, "I suppose if we kept the picture."

"Exactly. Let's go sell this fine piece of frame," He exclaimed walking down the street.

"What about my apartment?" Lady called after him.

"Crash at mine tonight then we'll find you a place bright and early tomorrow," He said but his mind was on the future cash.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"I like it," The woman surmised.

"Great. Let me just get this out of the way for you," Alec began removing the painting so the frame stood on it's own.

"Yes, please do. It's hideous. Astounding. Look at the use of colour," She waved her hand in the air for emphasis.

"Gold? My favourite," He grinned at the woman.

"Well, some gold, yes, but it's the broad strokes of cerulean and crimson commingled with found objects and palimpsests that make this work of art so unique and exciting. Don't you agree?"

"Oh, yeah," Alec said, clearly confused.

"The painting," Lady hissed.

"I'll give you six grand," The lady decided.

"Six grand?" Alec stuttered in an incredulous voice.

"Fine, seven. Agents. Enzo! Draw seven thousand from the safe and lock this up. No--on second thought, you leave this here. I want to bask in its organic energy, feast my eyes on its heroically gargantuan impasto strokes." The woman stared at the painting admiringly.

"Yeah, well, grab some beer and some ham hocks, and you've got yourself a party," Alec stated.

"Um we were actually selling the frame," Lady butted in.

"But the painting is exquisite," The woman sighed.

"But it was given to us by the artist," Lady protested, glaring at Alec.

"Hey he would want his art shared," Alec said trying to placate Lady.

"I must meet this artist. I must meet...Joshua."

Lady and Alec started at her last words. They exchanged eye contact and Lady shook her head.

"Yeah, yeah. He's--he's shy," Alec tried desperately to deter her.

"Listen, my clients don't just want pictures to hang on their walls. They want the opportunity to engage with the artist, to interact with minds more creatively fertile than their own," There was slight contempt in her tone.

"Well, what can I say? I mean, he's fertile, but he's--he's a homebody." Alec tried to describe Joshua.

"He does not get out much," Lady contributed.

"Well, at least tell me he's prolific," The woman demanded.

At that moment a wad of cash was thrust into Alec's hand and there was no more hesitation in his eyes, "Thank you. Oh, yeah. Yeah, he's--he's painting night and day. Can't get enough palimpsests and, uh, cerulean paint to keep up with his bursting organic energy."

Lady hit him in the arm when they left.

"Now we have to get more work and sell it to her," Lady stated.

"But look at this cash," Alec said with glee.

"It was a gift, Alec," Lady argued.

"And we are sharing the gift with the world. We have to go back to Joshua's."

"I don't think he is going to be very happy," Lady guessed, following the ecstatic Alec.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lady sighed as she watched Joshua enthusiastically paint another picture. Alec was reading a book and half supervising. Occasionally he would offer a supportive comment, "That's it, Josh, that's it. Come on. Get ready. Show me what you got. Show me what you got now. Beautiful! Beautiful! Hit it up on the left corner there. Left corner. Oh, it's great, Josh. It looks great. Keep going. Show me what you got. Be one with the paint."

Lady groaned and sat down on the floorboards and watched Alec exploit Joshua's talents. At least she had convinced him to give Joshua half the cash, which he had done most reluctantly.

"She liked it?" Joshua asked. He couldn't quite believe it.

"Oh, she loved it. You know what she loved? She loved the colour. Use some of that yellow. There you go. There you go. Toss it on there. Oh! Ooh, ooh… you know what? The big gargantuan impasto strokes… loved 'em. Get crazy. Go on. Do it up. Do it up. Get crazy, dog-boy. Joshua, get crazy. Oh, it's pretty! It's pretty. Hit it! Oh, it's beautiful," Alec ranted.

Lady couldn't help giggling. When he got involved or passionate about anything, even if it was only money, he was so cute. His eyes shone and he made her want to kiss him. She had no home, no family and she was happy at this moment. She also enjoyed watching Joshua paint. His intensity was infectious.

The transhuman paused his painting and said simply, "Joshua."

"What's the matter, Josh?" Alec showed some concern.

"Has a new face," Joshua finished.

"Oh yeah?"

"My work is my face, Alec." His face was one of open delight and Lady realised that selling his painting was possibly the best thing they had ever done. It had given him a purpose, a place in this world.

"Yes!" Alec agreed.

"Good!" Joshua cried.

Alec dropped the book suddenly and leapt to his feet, "Okay, you know what she liked? She liked the palimpsests, the papers with… that are written on," Alec seized some papers from a desk and threw them at the painting, "Boom!"

Joshua laughed, which encouraged Alec, "These are the ones right here. Ooh--oh, Josh, these are great. Here we go. Here we go. Here we go. These are winners. These are winner. Look at that. Look at that. Huh? What do you got for me? What do you got for me? What do you got for me? I need some help. I need some help. I need some--help me! Help me! Boom!"

Joshua sprayed paint all over the papers. Alec abruptly grabbed Lady's hand and pulled her to her feet. He bent and laid a gentle kiss on her mouth as Joshua howled his excitement. He released her and collapsed in the chair.

"I got a headache," He said looking exhausted. Lady looked at the painting, covered in all the paintings from the desk and couldn't help but see the appeal. It was erratic but expressive. It was a symbol of something that had nothing to do with cults or transgenic politics but was what it was.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lady lay on Joshua's couch tired, with her head on Alec's leg. He was counting cash from Joshua's second painting. She had spent the night in Alec's bed and this time he hadn't slept on the couch. They hadn't gone to sleep touching but when they woke he had put his arm around her waist. It was comfortable, warm and felt safe.

"Said she loved it even more than the first. Said she wants to get together and discuss your "blossoming artistic sensibility," or something. I don't know. Here you go," Alec handed him some money.

"Rita wants to meet me?" Joshua asked, disbelieving.

"Yeah. That'd be pretty wild, huh?" Alec answered, distracted by his money.

"Joshua wants to meet Rita. Discuss my...blossoming," Joshua said with a spectacular stroke of paint.

"Bad idea." Alec said quickly shaking his head. Lady closed her eyes, seeing where this conversation was going, and not wanting to see the hurt on Joshua's face.

"Good idea, a good idea," Joshua debated.

"Look, Josh, you're a great artist, apparently. But you're also, to be frank, a dog-boy. Listen to me. Listen to me. One look at you, and your benefactress is gonna go runnin' in fear for her life. That's gonna cut a blossoming career off right at its knees, not to mention future sales," Alec attempted rationalising with the dog man.

"People afraid of things that are different," Joshua's mouth drooped.

"Well, what are you gonna do? All right, now, come on. Show me some of that bursting organic energy. Josh, don't be like that. Come on," Alec started to comfort his friend. At that moment Max walked in.

"Good morning, Joshua. What are you two doing here?" She said harshly. Lady sat up and returned the odd look Max was giving her, which was somewhat more hostile than usual.

"Just paying a friendly visit to the artist-in-residence," Alec replied.

"Uh-huh. Just stopped by to grab my papers," Max said walking over to the desk.

"Focus. Focus," Alec instructed Joshua.

"That's weird. They were right here." Max looked confused as she gazed around the room.

"What'd they look like?" Alec prompted.

"White grid paper with scrabbling all over it," Max answered.

"Pardon?" Lady asked at the same time Joshua cried, "Palimpsests!"

"Huh?" Max said turning towards him.

"Uh...what...uh..."Pal upset"? Pal upset. He's just worried about you, the big lug," Alec covered up.

"Maybe they're down in the basement," Max suggested.

"Yeah," Alec assured her.

Max's pager sounded making Lady jumped, "It's Logan."

"Oh, well, you know, that could be important. Why don't you go find out what that's about? Michelangelo and I will find your papers for you, huh?" Alec offered.

"Okay," Max agreed and left.

"Gotta help Max! Gotta find virus bitch papers!" Joshua began working himself into a panic.

"These are the papers she was working on in regards to the virus?" Lady asked.

Joshua nodded pathetically. "Shit," Lady swore.

Alec stared at her in shook at hearing a curse word when Joshua growled at him, "Okay, okay. Easy, easy, Josh. I'll just go back to Rita and ask for it back. Lady can stay here and help you find any papers that may have fallen on the ground."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lady had searched the house from top to bottom with Joshua, who looked like he might cry.

"I just wanted a way to live with outside people. So they could know Joshua existed," His tone was heart breaking.

"We'll sort it out, Josh," Lady promised.

"But virus bitch was going down!" Joshua wailed.

"It still will!" Lady reassured him, "Alec will fix this." Internally she hoped he would other wise they would have some serious explaining to do.

At that point Alec walked in.

"She wants two more!" He said before either of them could open their mouths.

"Two more?" Joshua sighed.

"Straight trade. Said she'd give us the old one back," Alec explained.

Joshua groaned, perceptibly not feeling the artistic spirit.

"Come on, come on, come on, come on. Burning daylight. Start flinging fuchsia, huh?" Alec encouraged but his sounded anxious.

"Uh-uh. Can't paint. What about Max?" Joshua was worried.

"You want to help Max? Get your ass in gear. Come on. Gotta get you started. Come on. What do we need? A little paint? Is that it? This oughta work. See? It's all in the wrist," Alec demonstrated by squirting paint on the canvas.

Joshua growled at him but began painting.

Alec slumped down and put his hands over his eyes. He held a hand out to Lady, "Don't say I told you so."

"I was not going to," Lady said but a smirk crossed her lips.

"Good."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Joshua was hysterically stalking his house. Alec had returned with the painting's saying Rita had called the deal off.

"Lost Max's papers...lost my muse...lost everything," Joshua yowled.

"That's not true, Josh!" Lady disputed

"No, Josh, your career's not over. Okay? Let me give you a little advice from my, uh, brief sojourn in the art scene. It's all about supply and demand. You know? Rare doesn't just apply to meat, my friend. Look, you need to kick back. You know, you need to kick back, you need to stop painting, and you need to make 'em wait. All right? Before you know it they'll be busting down your door for a Joshua!"

"No. No, no, no, no, no, no. Virus bitch going down. Need to get Joshua #2 back. Steal it," Joshua's eyes lit up.

"Steal it? Yeah. Can we, uh, crack one of these windows open? 'Cause I think the paint fumes in here are turning your brain into oatmeal!" Alec said sarcastically.

"Why not," Lady sided with Joshua, "You know you could do it!"

"Sneak, sniff, steal it, huh?" Joshua kept at Alec.

"Listen. Listen to me, okay? We jack that painting, Rita's gonna know it was us. 'Kay? That's a career-ender. Not the plan. Now, look, as soon as we start selling paintings again, you can get Max a new doctor. Heck, you can buy her a whole hospital, okay? You know, but just, uh, tell her you lost the papers. Tell her, uh, I don't know, tell her your dog ate 'em. Tell her you ate 'em. Max will get over it, all right? You know why? Because underneath that--that sadomasochistic leather and that tough-girl image, she's nothing but a big softie," Alec said.

"Joshua? " Max called.

"Okay, We gotta go," Alec sat up and pulled Lady with him.

"Big softie huh?" Lady repeated Alec with a quirked eyebrow.

"Shut up!" Alec snapped.

"Hold on I have to say something Joshua," Lady turned back to the house. She ran back and almost ran into Max who was coming toward her. She dodged her and ran inside to face a devastated Joshua.

Lady grabbed as piece of paper and a pencil and scribbled the address of the gallery down, "Take this!"

"Thanks Lady." Joshua smiled as he realised what it was.

"You want me to go with you," Lady offered.

Joshua shook his head; "Joshua will be fine by himself. Alec needs his girlfriend."

"I'm not his girlfriend. Not really," Lady elucidated.

"Take care pf Alec," Joshua instructed. Lady found this an odd thing to say but nodded any way.

She found Alec waiting outside for her. "I think everything is going to be alright now."

"What did you do?"

"Nothing," She dodged the question and grabbed his hand. She couldn't get Joshua's words out of her head. Was she Alec's girlfriend? She would ask him sometime but not tonight. Tonight she just wanted to go to sleep or watch some TV. Some thing simple.

**AN: Yah you know the usual! Please review. Pretty please. I wanted to use this Chapter to establish Lady's relationship with Joshua and Max has discovered the new cult. Which was why she was a bit cranky to see Lady there! Also develop Alec and Lady's relationship because of future events.**

**MD666**


	11. Brainiac

**Disclaimer:** I'm tired and I got nothing!

**BRAINIAC**

Lady slipped into the back room of the arcade and stared at the transgenics scrambling on the floor.

"What are you doing here?" Max demanded after getting over the initial shock of being confronted with cult heiress. She was dressed normally with her symbolic tattoos winding up her arm on display.

"Well the S1W was caught, which means Asha was caught which means you would be here. How is my reasoning holding up?" Lady asked leaning against the wall.

Max stared at her.

"Oh, what? Like it's some big secret? Asha's in the S1W. And they got arrested here last night," Alec jumped in, grinning at his girlfriend.

"Yeah, so what's that got to do with you?" Max rounded on the smirking transgenic.

"My number's in the book," Alec said, turning his attention back to the ground.

"Oh, sure. You and the S1W, fightin' the power," Max snapped sarcastically.

"Who said anything about the S1W? Asha asked for my number one night at Crash," Alec said.

"She asked?" Max raised an eyebrow.

"Or maybe I offered it to her. I don't know--it was during that whole mermaid thing. I was feelin' kinda lonely," Alex corrected her.

"You offered?" Lady crossed her arms.

Alec looked from one woman to the other, "I'm not gonna win here am I?"

Lady shook her head and glared at Alec, "Well maybe I should give my cellular number to Calvin?"

Alec laughed, "Sketchy? You wouldn't?"

"Try me," Her tone was flat and serious. Alec balked under her gazed and tried puppy dogs eyes on her.

"Consider your ass saved. Here's her backpack," Max interrupted. She thrust it into his chest harshly.

Alec flipped through the pages despite Lady's incredulous expression. He'd make it up to her later by stealing something shiny. Lady was trying to be cranky but was finding it hard to maintain as she watched Alec's face grow serious.

"Okay, question… have you ever pretended to write down a guy's phone number?" Alec demanded. Lady giggled and Max smiled. Alec narrowed his eyes as Lady tried to disguise her smirk.

"What's this? Asha likes poetry?"

That got the female's attention. Asha was many things but most definitely not a poetic character. She was a tough as nails, intelligent woman but not really literacy orientated.

"It's none of your business," Max retorted, trying to feign disinterest.

"Hey, get a load of this. 'Oh, love, let me raise you softer than moonbeams...' Kinda makes you wonder who she's writing to," Alec chuckled and looked at the pair.

"Could be anyone," Max dismissed but her lips were pursed. Alec made eye contact with Lady and smirked. He was enjoying putting Max on edge like this. They got up and began walking towards the door.

Alec couldn't resist riling Max up some more, "You're right, it could be about anyone, but, uh, here's an interesting fact. Logan's name is in her book."

"They work together," Max argued but doubt crept across her face.

"Yeah, I'm sure they do," Alec mumbled shooting a triumphant look over towards Lady. She shook her head to discourage him. Lady hated it when Max was cranky because she always took it out on the people around her.

"They do, Smart Ass. That's why I'm here." Anger began seeping into her tone.

"Oh, because they work together?" Alec persisted.

"No, because I don't want Logan's name to end up in some police file," Max protested slipping through the arcade.

Alec was really enjoying himself and continued to push Max's buttons, "With Asha's."

"With the S1W," Max retorted. Her face was flushed and she looked like contained fury. Lady loved Alec but Isis knew the boy had a penchant for trouble.

"Oh, okay, right, right. Now, Logan used to be your thing," Alec deliberately altered his face so it looked sincere.

"We weren't even like that," Max objected. Lady and Alec rolled their eyes. If they heard Max profess that her and Logan weren't like 'that' one more time someone was going to scream.

"So when Logan asks you to go get his poetess friend Asha out of jail, you jump at the cha…" Alec was stopped by Max snatching the poetry book and shoving it into Asha's bag.

"You may want to leave it," Lady suggested quietly to Alec.

Alec ignored her advice, "We weren't designed to be chumps, Max."

Max finally snapped, "People were arrested here last night. Do you even get that? People risking their lives for something more important than themselves. They were rounded up because some snitch turned them in. One guy was wounded."

Alec wasn't paying attention. His gaze had slipped to one of the arcade games and his brow furrowed, "Max!"

"So forget the cheap shots, because even if that were true, it wouldn't matter, 'cause it's not about me," Max ploughed on!

"Max!" Alec cried to get her attention.

"What?"

Alec walked over and leant on the game giving it a significant look.

"Oh Goddess," Lady sighed when she saw what Alec was referring to.

The top score was 452, 000 with MAX and a little heart. Lady couldn't quite believe what she was seeing. She was the first to accept a conspiracy theory. In fact she used to be part of one with the cult of Isis but this was pushing things too far.

"Or maybe it is about you." Alec didn't even joke as he reached up and pulled down a sweatshirt. It was massive and a few candy bars fell out.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lady was clutching Alec's cell phone to her ear and talking to Almira.

"I'm sorry to call. Since I was shunned I have no right to call but I need information," Lady said.

"Anything! I do not care what the queen said," Almira's voice was hushed and Lady knew that last statement was not true. In fact she could almost hear Almira resisting the urge to take it back.

"You have heard about the S1W arresting," Lady assumed.

"Of course. Do you want information?"

"Anything you can give me. Ring or message me on this number," Lady asked.

"I can do that," Almira promised, "What is the situation like?"

"It's getting more and more complicated," Lady admitted, "These transgenicss are not making life easy."

"I meant with Alec," Almira prodded. She was grinning on the other end of the phone.

"I haven't really seen him," Lady lied.

"Whose phone are you using?" Almira chirped victoriously.

"It does not mean anything," Lady swore.

"Liar! We all know why you left, Tsarina told me and besides I have not heard you quote for the longest time. It means you finally are growing up!"

"I have to go," Lady decided. Almira was right, naturally but she did not want this getting back to her mother. She may have been shunned but the queen after all was her mother and did not want her baby girl with unsuitable men.

Almira said her goodbyes and Lady snapped the cell phone shut just as Max and Alec came out of the arcade.

Alec slipped an arm around her shoulder and whispered in her ear, "what did my little informant discover?"

"Nothing." It was a simple answer but it came out giggly and coy. Lady wanted to hit her self in the head with her palm. She was not used to acting like a typical teenager with rampant emotions.

Max coughed loudly, "He's close by here!"

"Cool," Alec stated and pulled one of the candy bars out of his jacket.

"You are not really going to eat his chocolate are you?" Lady wrinkled her nose with disgust.

"Yeah why not?" Alec was genuinely confused.

"Well it could be poisoned candy," Max answered though she really thought this was unlikely. It was just tacky to eat the suspect's food.

"I'll risk it," Alec decided breaking through the packaging.

"I won't kiss you!" Lady threatened, clearly on Max's side again.

"And I'm defeated again by women," Alec groaned and out it back into the pocket of his jumper.

The sky was grey and the cold wind bit into their skin. Lady's hair kept getting in her face so she scooped it up into a ponytail. It was getting longer and was starting to annoy her but Alec seemed to like her long dark hair. It made her want to keep it that way.

Later on they were creeping down the apartment buildings hallways.

"Keep your voice down. Don't knock, either," Alec instructed going into Soldier mode.

"Why?" Max wanted to know.

"'Cause you lose the element of surprise," Alec explained.

"What surprise? That kid said he's expecting us," Max observed.

"Yeah, but it could be a trap," Alec pointed out.

"Please. I think we can handle him," Max scoffed.

"Whoa. "We"?" Alec paused.

"I'll help," Lady offered.

"How?" Max faced the younger woman.

"I can fight and use this," She reached her arm behind her and under her jacket. She pulled a long knife out.

"Back sheath," She elucidated, "Not as good as my sword but it will do the trick." Alec stared at his girlfriend in surprise. He had noticed she was standing remarkably upright all day but he thought it was just one of those odd things she did like using correct grammar and having symbolic tattoos. But of course she had a huge knife.

"I don't like this," Alec butted in dragging his attention away from the knife, "There could be an X series in there and you could get hurt."

"Nobody asked you two to tag along," Max hissed, finding sensitive Alec a little hard to deal with.

"That's right. You were supposed to come alone," A large man snapped, opening the door.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Brain was handcuffed to a seat blindfolded in an abandoned building his head darting around nervously. Logan was examining a map and Alec and Max were holding a discussion in the corner. Lady was standing near Brain examining him.

"Stop watching me," Brain commanded abruptly.

Lady started, "How did you know I was here?" She had been very quiet as she watched the big man. He was actually quite young now that she looked closer but she was finding it hard to memorize his face. It just got a bit fuzzy when it came to details.

"There was a 72 percent possibility that you would come and stare and trying and analyse me. Probably something to do with your upbringing and your instinctual attempt to help people," Brain concluded.

"That was unusual," Lady confessed.

"I honestly didn't expect you though. The chances of you hanging around Max are less than half. You must be hear because of the other transgenic," Brain said referring to Alec.

Lady blushed, "Why does everybody say that?"

"Did you know there's a 86.4 percent chance that he and Max are attracted to each other," Brain informed Lady.

"Are you trying to annoy me?" Lady growled.

"There's only a 16 percent chance that you would hit me just for saying something offensive which is the lowest percent in the room. The man over by the table is a 24 percent, Alec is a 64 percent and Max is 78 percent likely to," Brain surmised.

"Hmm you do know her well," Lady concluded and felt a smile growing on her lips.

"Besides the likelihood of Alec sleeping with Max is 15 percent" Brain tried to make amends with Lady who was finding it harder and harder to hate him. She began suspecting that he wasn't involved with this S1W business at all really.

"Thanks," Lady mumbled to him.

Brain smiled at her briefly before turning his attention to escaping from the bonds and helping Max, "Okay, this is totally unnecessary."

"So this is the guy who turned them in? " Logan sounded like he couldn't quite believe it. Not only did Brain not look dangerous but his very aura was unthreatening.

"Looks like." Max winced knowing how ridiculous it was.

"Says he admits he knew the raid was going down," Alec interjected.

"Although, according to him, only to a 73 percent certainty," Max trailed off puzzled.

"Hello? Okay, these things are a little tight. I don't know if I mentioned it, but I bruise easily. Look, I'm trying to help you, Max!" Brain called.

"Maybe we should let him go?" Lady suggested hesitantly.

"You know him?" Logan turned to Max. Max shook her head.

"I think he's got a little thing for Max," Alec smirked.

Logan didn't even blink an eye at that news, "Well, we'll have to deal with him and his "little thing" later. They're moving the S1W to a federal facility in about an hour, and there's an opportunity to intercept on Highway 153. "

"Oh, that's a bad idea," Brain advised. Lady looked at him interested.

Logan continued as if never interrupted, "There's a railroad grade crossing in serious disrepair along the route. It's about a mile from the Somerset Poultry Farm."

"If you're thinking about the train track, think again," Brain was frustrated that they weren't listening to them.

"What is this?" Logan asked finally paying attention. Max indicated with a shrug that she had no idea what Brain was talking about.

""Okay, I need you to shut up," Logan finally snapped. Lady guessed that maybe Alec's previous comment about Brains infatuation with Max had actually hit a nerve.

"County roads in the area allow unacceptable delivery rates of backup sector personnel. I mean, the probability of subsequent apprehension is--is--is like," Brain proceeded to rant but paused when Logan stormed over and pulled the blindfold away from his eyes.

Brain looked around before saying doubtfully, "3157 Mercer Street! Is this your idea of a secret meeting place, huh?"

Logan shoved the blindfold into Brains mouth as a make shift gag.

"Hey!" Lady complained. She didn't think Brain deserved this rough treatment.

"I can't think with all the noise he keeps making," Logan replied.

"But he's just trying to help," Lady disputed.

"But he's not!" Logan retorted. Lady glared at him but Logan had thirty years of surviving his family's heartfelt angry fierce looks. Lady's weak glower just bounced of him.

"Eyes Only?" Brain muttered awed. Lady shot her eyes up to Logan's face bewildered. Logan looked concerned from the woman to Brain and then walked back to Max and Alec who were hitting each other.

"Crossing'll be deserted. Bus'll come to a complete stop. It should be easy in, easy out. What's that?" Logan asked spying a book. Lady saw the book of poetry and fought the urge to grin. Alec was such a juvenile sometimes.

"Nothing," Max assured quickly.

"Poetry," Alec defied. He was practically beaming.

"It's nothing! Stay with what's-his-name and we'll do the rest," Max ordered.

"So what's his name?" Logan realised he hadn't even thought to ask this earlier.

"Be careful," Logan said softly as they walked towards the door.

Alec ruffled Brain's hair on the way out while still irritating Max, ""Be careful." That cost him."

"I'll do this alone if I have to," Max stated exasperated.

"I'm on board," Alec amended.

"Look, the only way it'll work is if you break an egg! You hear me, Max? Break an egg!" Brain cried.

"Need a sword?" Lady offered.

"You stay here and watch Brian," Alec told her.

"Brain!" Lady corrected.

"Whatever," And then he was gone.

Lady bit her lip at his curt good bye.

"Don't worry. He just worries about you which is 89 percent out of character for him," Brain comforted the girl.

Lady who had his back to him said gruffly, "I do not care." There was no way he could see her face that she was upset.

"Well there is a 95.7 percent chance that you do," Brain told her.

"I don't stand a chance with you do I?" Lady surrendered.

"I just know some things," Brain admitted. Surprisingly Lady never thought to ask how he knew these things. The question didn't register in her mind.

Logan was watching the map and Brain observed him. "Now him. There's an 83 percent chance that he will be able to say anything more than 'be careful' when she leaves him."

"Emotionally incapable?" Lady assumed.

"No! He has too many words and not enough time," Brain said. He looked a bit disgruntled as he stared at Logan. He loved Max but knew that she cared too deeply for Logan. Besides his own gift was a curse in moments like this because he knew just how likely it was that Max would love him.

"That is kind of sweet. At least he says be careful. Alec just says stay!" Lady pouted and felt silly. She was an adult woman and she was pouting.

"Being mature doesn't mean you can't pout," Brain stated.

"It is like having you inside my head," Lady gasped.

"I get that sometimes," Brain lied. He never got that from anyone. He never got any attention really. Maybe she wouldn't be talking to him if she didn't have an insatiable curiosity to know why people did what but he didn't mind. He would take what he could get!

"I get the responsibility drill sometimes," Lady divulged, "Making sacrifices to do your job. Sometimes you can't any more."

Brain understood. He had sacrificed his being acknowledged to be good at his job but he could never make the decision for it to stop.

"Sometimes you have to accept it," He enigmatically told Lady who nodded.

"By the way. You and Alec have a dead even 50/50 chance of working out," Brain surmised.

Lady's face fell, "They are not good odds."

"No it's excellent it means that you are in charge of your relationship and it all comes down to you and him and decisions the pair of you make."

"Thanks I'll keep that in mind," Lady promised.

After that Lady went and talked to Logan about the possible candidate for who sold S1W to the cops. Then Max, Alec and the S1W burst into the building.

"How'd it go, Max?" Logan asked.

"Kinda weird, actually. Hold on."

Max stalked up to Brain and Lady, worried they might hit him, hurried after them.

"How'd you know?" Max planted her hands on her hips and eyeballed the man.

"Know what?" Brain was obviously disorientated.

"Break an egg." Alec snapped.

"And the cops, and the train..." Max persisted.

"No."

"Then what are you mad about?" Brain asked.

Lady wondered what was going on so she asked, "What are you both talking about?"

"Just tell us how you knew," Max ignored her question.

"How do you think I knew? I'm an X-series, just like you!" Brain statement was met with a snort from Alec and a furious look from Max. Lady blinked a few times. Brain was a transgenic?

Alec moved around to look at his neck, "Huh. Yep." That meant he had a found a barcode.

"Then what are you?" Max demanded.

"What am I?" Brain wondered what she was talking about.

"Yeah, she means you don't exactly look like a soldier there, big guy," Alec grinned slyly.

"Oh, and you two do?" Brain retorted. Lady bit down a giggle and Logan reluctantly nodded his head. They both looked like people out of swimsuit magazines. Neither appeared deadly or for that matter super intelligent. They were just too good-looking and casual to fit the military stereotype.

"I'm an I.T. concentrate. A battle processor. I'm basically a general, his staff, two database groups, and five logistical support teams, all rolled into one stealth package," Brain concluded.

"Stealth. Yeah." Alec laughed sarcastically.

"People look away. They don't remember me. There, are you happy?" Every word of that sounded like it hurt and Lady knew what he meant by sacrifices.

"Yeah, that still doesn't explain your psychic ability," Alec changed tact.

"Psychic? Please. I combine near-absolute data knowledge with fast Fourier neural nets for heuristics," Brain said.

"Heuristics?" Alec asked.

"Predictions using probability algorithms that are stored in my… Look, are you sure you want to hear this?" Brain wanted to know.

"Whatever you call it, you can tell the future." Max was getting excited.

"I can see our future. Yours and mine. That's why I'm here, Max." He looked at the transgenic with such longing.

"You getting the feeling that, uh, Puffy here's got something else on his mind than betraying the S1W?" Alec asked with a grin.

"I never thought he did," Lady said.

"Oh, but I didn't betray the S1W. It was one of them."

"Come on. You have to be kidding."

"It would make sense," Lady determined.

Alec began nodding his head, "The info they had would have been gotten by an insider."

"Come with me," Max pulled Brain to his feet.

Alec lingered with Lady. He sensed her cold mood.

"How are you?" He would try casual first.

"Fine," Lady said with a false bright smile.

"You're mad at me," Alec alleged warily. He approached this carefully. If had been any other girl he would have tried charming flattery but Lady would most probably see right through it and stab him. Though that sounded more like something Max would do.

"No!" Her smile had too much teeth and seemed vicious.

Alec winced, "Why?" He almost didn't want to know.

"Why do you keep doing this protective thing with me. I'm not a delicate flower. I can handle anything that isn't genetically enhanced." Lady finally gave in and told her what was worrying her.

"You're angry because I want to keep you safe?" Alec clarified in disbelief.

It sounded stupid being said by him out loud but she nodded defiantly, her teeth clenched.

"Ok let's see if I can explain this," Alec searched for words and found his mind going over some broken memories. They were fragmented and mere flashes but he saw a girl with dark hair like Lady's. He couldn't really remember her. Probably just a pretty girl he had seen on a mission once. He knew that mission. It had gone badly and he had been injured. A car blast had knocked him unconscious and try as they might Manticore couldn't resurrect his memories.

"Alec?' Lady prompted.

Alec snapped out of his reflective mood, "I just don't want to lose you if I could have stopped it. I don't want to be your controller or master, you could have stayed with Duke for that but I want you to be safe," Alec finished. It was the longest most serious thing he had said recently.

Lady's expression softened, "Really?"

"Yeah, can't have my girlfriend getting her butt kicked helping me," Alec said back to his carefree exterior but secretly relieved that she hadn't stormed off on him.

"So I'm your girlfriend," Lady concluded, liking how it sounded.

"Yeah god help you," Alec joked.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The S1W was restless and cranky. Max and Brain had been gone for a long time. "If she's supposed to be on our side, then why's she protecting him?" One asked.

"She's not protecting him," Logan defended.

"Then where is he?" The guy pressed.

"Why don't we just concentrate on getting you guys out of town?" Logan defused the situation.

"And why don't you call me when you get there. You've got my number, right?" Alec was just kidding as Lady was sitting bored on a chair having one of those rare moments where she looked very cute. Her green eyes were half shut.

Asha didn't get a chance to answer as another member of the S1W spoke up, "Who's he working for? That's what I wanna know."

"He's not working for anyone. He saved your asses, if you wanna know the truth." Max had strolled in with Brain.

"Yeah? Is that what he says?" The S1W guy asked obnoxiously. Lady looked up tired and wished she had the energy to hit that guy.

"That's what I say. You're blaming the wrong guy." Max declared.

Brain's eyes began darting around nervously, "I think…I think… I think sector police will approach in a scatter "Y" formation. Alpha team in the stairwell, bravo in the elevator. Chances are dead even a third team will stake out the roof."

The room erupted into chaos. Asha spun to Max, "What is he talking about?"

"He turned us in again!" the member was hysterical.

"Shut up!" Max commanded.

"Egress through a fire stairwell. Fifty-four steps up to the second floor. There's an exhaust fan behind a four-foot grate in the west hallway. Use it. It's your only way out." Brain churned the information out.

"When? When's this happening?" Max asked urgently.

"Now!"

Max gasped, "Go! Do what he says! Get out of here!"

Lady and Alec followed the rest of the S1W. Lady knew he was staying by her side to make sure some over-enthused panic deranged S1W member didn't knock her down.

They made it into fresh air and Max and Logan came out after them. Logan talked to Asha while Max looked around for Brain. He was nowhere in sight.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lady was angrily pacing the hall in the Isis castle. It was the first time she had been back since her exile and the place didn't feel very welcoming. Her mother had demanded her presence right in the middle of the S1W conundrum just when Brain had been captured.

"I shouldn't be here!" She snapped to her mother.

"Why? Because you are out helping little transgenics?" Her mother said coldly.

"That's what we do!" Lady rejoined.

"That is," Her mother corrected, "I did not raise you talk like the common people on the streets."

"Snobbery, mother?" Lady cynically rounded on her mother, "How conventional and expected."

"Do not use that tone with me." The queen drew herself to her feet and glared at her insolent daughter.

"What's the prob here?" Lady deliberately used slang.

"The 'prob' is that despite being shunned you think you have access to our resources. Almira was discovered using the computers and we found the recorded phone call," The queen yelled.

Lady winced. That meant she had heard everything that had been said with Alec.

"It does not work like that!" Her mother thundered. Lady took a step back. The queen was terrifying when she wanted to be.

"You know what, Mother? I do not really care. I have friends out there. Peopled I can help and that I care about so if you do not like it you can go to hell!" Lady cried and stalked out of the room.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"I can't believe he is dead," Lady murmured. She was standing outside his apartment with Alec.

"I can't believe you told your mom to go to hell. She's scary," Alec shuddered with the memories.

"Focus Alec," Lady pleaded with him.

"In fact I can't believe you said hell," Alec said.

"Alec!"

"Sorry," He mumbled pulling her into his arms, "I just hate getting sad over people's death. It just sucks all our energy."

"So why are we here?"

"Oh I'm finding us a bigger apartment," Alec grinned.

Lady's jaw dropped. "You are not serious? You are really just going to take his apartment."

Alec nodded, "And you can tell your crazy mother you're living in my old unit."

"We can not take a dead mans home!" Lady protested.

"Why not. It's not like he's using it," Alec shrugged.

"It's unethical!" Lady decreed but Alec was already walking up to some man with a trolley.

Lady followed him into the house, arguing with him the whole way. When she realised he wasn't going to listen to her she sent a silent prayer to Isis, asking for him not to be damned for being so immoral.

They walked inside to be confronted with about 6 TVs all blaring an Eyes Only broadcast.

"I don't know how he stood it. All that noise, I mean." Alec picked up the remotes and muted the majority of the TVs. Lady stepped delicately into the room and prayed again for Brain.

"All around us, the battle rages--a battle between good and evil in the fight for men's souls. There are victories and defeats, and over the years the two sides have..." Logan was saying on the set.

"Why are you here?" Max kept her eyes on the screen.

"Never a welcoming word with you, is there, Max?" Alec tried to delay the moment when he would tell her he was taking the apartment.

"Well?" Max prodded, not fooled for an instance.

A man slid into the room and Alec gestured that he should wait till he told Max what was happening.

Logan was still speaking, "The courageous among us are not discouraged. The courageous among us do not give up..."

"Maybe, uh...maybe I wanted to come by and make sure you were okay. Did you ever think of that?" Alec attempted. Lady groaned inwardly at his pathetic stall tactics.

"The courageous among us are called more often than others to sacrifice. A great and fearless warrior in this battle died today..." Brains face appeared on the screen.

Alec forgot his original intent to stare at the TV too, "Great and fearless warrior?"

"It doesn't matter what they say. I just want people to see him," Max stated and cast a quick glanced over her shoulder.

"Overlooked in his lifetime by all of us... I ask that you look at him now." Logan trailed off.

"Why are you here?" Max's voice was soft.

"Like I said," Alec began.

Max cut him off, "You sold his TVs, didn't you?" She didn't sound surprise. Lady who didn't know that opened her mouth to say something but Logan said something that distracted her.

"See him as he should be seen: in death a hero, as in life a friend," Logan begged. Lady felt tears welling up. Brain had been a good person who deserved a better life.

"No, not all of them. I'm gonna keep one for myself," Alec explained himself.

"You're moving in?" Max finally came around to the issue on hand.

"Well, Max, it's not like he needs the place anymore," Alec sounded defensive. He clicked his fingers and the men came in and began removing the TVs leaving only the large centre one. Lady moved round to sit next to Max and Alec was forced to stare at the TV.

He stood in contemplative silence for a moment then said, "You know, I never really noticed, but...he's actually kind of magnificent."

A tear ran down Max's cheek, "Yeah. He was."

**AN: I'm looking forward to the next chapter because it will be interesting and fun. Please review. Constructive criticism is always welcome.**

**MD666**


	12. Berriford Agenda

**Disclaimer:** Nope and nothing!

**BERRISFORD AGENDA**

Lady grinned made eye contact with Original Cindy and smiled as Joshua bustled around in front of them trying to make the table setting as perfect as possible.

Lady was laying down the cutlery as OC lit a few candles. Joshua came staggering out and let dishes clatter on to the table.

"Everything looks great," Cindy soothed the transhuman and Lady nodded her head in agreement.

Joshua shook his head, clearly dissatisfied. "First dinner party. Needs to be perfect...not just great."

"Trust me. Everything is perfect." OC grinned affectionately at Joshua.

"Perfect." Joshua murmured but surveyed the table again.

"It's great your doing this Josh," Lady said. "We do not get a lot of chances to just… hang out." She hesitated over the slang but forced it out. She had been making an obvious attempt to blend in with everyone, as any reminder of her cult status seemed to aggravate Max.

"Hang out," Josh repeated and laughed, "Joshua likes hanging out with friends."

Original Cindy felt a moment of uncomfortableness. She knew that Max was wary around Lady because of her background but OC couldn't help liking the girl. She had made Alec halfway monogamous and that was quite an achievement. Plus apart from the tattoos and slightly off beat way of speaking you couldn't tell she was raised any different to anybody else.

There was a knock at the door followed quickly by it's opening. Max didn't wait around for it to be answered. Joshua scampered excitedly to greet his other guests.

Original Cindy smirked at Logan's reaction to Joshua. He just stared in stunned silence for a moment before trying to regain his composure.

"Welcome to my house," Joshua said enthusiastically shaking Logan's hand.

The upper class in Logan won out and he regrouped. "Lovely house it is, too. And to commemorate... It's a bottle of pre-pulse Chardonnay. I--I didn't know what we were having, so I--I, uh--I thought white would…" He stuttered and handed over a bag, which Joshua promptly turned over to see what it would do. Lady sniggered.

"No, inside there. I thought white would be a good idea. It's a safe choice." Logan smiled as Joshua laughed.

"Having macaroni and cheese, and little--little hot dogs," Joshua nodded.

Logan giggled, "dogs." Then he looked embarrassed. Lady sympathised. She remembered her first run in with a transhuman. It took her a while to adjust and Logan was doing much better then she had.

"Sounds good. What else?" Again the upper class showed through.

"What else?" Joshua was clearly confused.

"Are we having an… anything else?" Logan stammered to a halt. Max looked at him slowly. She was hoping he would redeem himself.

"What else do you need?" Original Cindy cut in smoothly.

"Right. That's a good point. But, I mean, yum."

"Yummy," Joshua pounded Logan friendly on the shoulder and laughed. Logan joined in as soon as he had finished wincing from the first hit.

Max breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the table. "Joshua, the table looks great."

"Thanks." Joshua beamed.

"But who's the sixth place for?" Max displayed one moment of stupidity. OC shook her head at her girl. You only had to take one look at Lady to guess who else was coming. She just hoped it didn't turn into a bitch fight between Alec and Max.

Speaking of the devil Alec walked in. "Hey Max," he said softly.

He walked further into the room. Lady gave him a bright smile, which he half-heartedly returned, kissing her chastely on the cheek. She blinked confused. Alec was usually over affectionate. That was just who he was.

They sat down to eat with Lady next to Joshua on one side of the table facing Alec and Max, with Logan and OC at the heads. Joshua's table manners left a lot to be desired until OC cleared her throat, giving him a significant look.

Joshua tried to break the silence with some small talk, "Nice weather we're having."

"And not a lot of rain, which is unusual this time of year," Logan said.

Joshua leaned closer encouraged by the so far success of the conversation. "Virus bitch going down? Max and Logan gettin' busy?"

Heads shot up as Logan started laughing, even Alec who had been staring blankly at his food. Max appeared mortified.

"Well you know we're looking… we're hoping." Logan finished, unsure how to properly answer the question.

OC intervened calmly, "No sex or politics at the dinner table, boo." Then she leaned over to wipe food of Joshua's chin.

"Oh sorry," Joshua said demurely. Lady caught his eye and winked but she was keeping her gaze half on Alec. He hadn't said a word since he'd greeted Max. It bothered her. Alec was a chatterbox at the best of times.

"Anyway...we'll see what happens," Max muttered.

"Hey, Max, could you pass the ketchup, please?" Alec asked abruptly.

Max reached for but instead of handing it over she held it in her hands displaying it like a game show hostess. "Oh, you mean this _unique_ ketchup, unlike any other?"

Alec let his fork fall to the plate. "Why don't you lay of huh? I need to stretch my legs." And then he was gone from the room.

"Mac and cheese overdone?" Joshua called after him.

Lady watched the door Alec had gone through as Logan answered Joshua, "No, it's great. He's upset about something else."

"Upset? That boy's so spun his head's gonna fly off," OC observed.

It was then that Lady realised they knew something she didn't. "What's going on?"

Logan didn't answer but rounded on Max, "Yeah, why don't you ease up on him, Max?"

"Fine. But we have to do double shifts for the rest of the week because of him," Max snapped.

"Well, far be it from me to defend Alec, but he didn't exactly force those girls to quit. And if he didn't tell either one of them it was exclusive, then what's so terrible about dating them both for a couple weeks?" Logan retaliated.

Lady felt her stomach drop and her heart pound. Had he been having an affair after only a few weeks with her? Was she that boring? They hadn't exactly been having wild sex fun but she thought it went deeper then that. She could feel her cheeks go red and fought to keep control.

"They work together," Max said.

"Well it's not like they're sisters," Logan retorted. Joshua laughed and the men exchanged looks of understanding.

OC eyed them both critically, "Men and dogs. No difference."

"What's this?" Lady finally forced herself to ask.

Max looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. "I'm sorry I forgot you guys are a couple." She didn't sound apologetic. She sounded bitter.

"Yes easy thing to forget I guess," Lady bit back.

"I was before you, Boo," OC soothed. Max stared at her OC. She only called people she liked Boo.

"Then why is it an issue now?" Lady could still feel the edges of panic and jealously gnawing at her insides.

"I think they only just figured it out," Logan said.

Lady relaxed but only a little bit. Alec was all up tight because of one indiscretion at work but at least he wasn't cheating on her.

There was music coming from the basement and every paused to listen.

"What's that?" Max asked.

"Alec. A piano in the basement," Joshua replied not pausing in his eating.

"He's got skills," OC said.

"Did you know he could play?" Logan asked Lady who shook her head.

"Who cares," Max shrugged.

Lady listened to the melody go on for a few moments but couldn't stand it any longer. She got up to go find him.

"I'm coming," OC stood not wanting to miss any dramatic revelations. Lady wanted to confront him on his own but the whole group trooped down.

Alec was hunched over the piano his finger dancing swiftly over the keys in complex combinations. Joshua wandered over to put a hand on his shoulder when they realised Alec was completely unaware of their presence.

Alec sprung up and put Joshua in a choke hold. Lady jumped at the speed with which he moved.

"Hey! Hey!" Max cried pulling Alec off Joshua.

"Sorry. Sorry man." Alec shook his head as if trying to get his bearings.

"What the hell was that?" Max demanded.

"Nothing," Alec stammered.

Joshua was holding out a locket to Alec. A female locket. "Are you alright?" Joshua's eyes were soft and serious.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm always all right. Thanks for dinner." He snatched the locket and left pushing past Lady without any recognition. Lady bit her lip and resisted the urge to shout after him.

OC saw her face. "Are you ok?"

Lady gave a half smile and shrugged, visibly indicating she wasn't. She could feel tears prick her eyes. Max watched the younger woman and felt pity for her. Alec may put on a front of being happy and simple but he had emotional intricacy that he did not show anyone. She was glad she was with Logan.

They slowly went up the stairs but nobody felt like dinner. Alec's actions had shaken everybody and Lady was getting restless, wanting to confront Alec to find out what was wrong. Eventually when she could no longer stand not knowing she thank Joshua for dinner and left for her and Alec's apartment.

It was dark and empty when she arrived but a half full glass of alcohol sat on the counter so she knew he had been in and left. She picked up the glass and grained it. Frustrated she paced the floor waiting for him to come home. Her long dark hair was falling in her face and was irritating her so she strode into the bedroom to find an elastic. She pulled it up quickly and brushed her fingers over her sword.

It gave her comfort but she also felt guilty because she hadn't practiced with it for so long. She did not think she would be all that good any more. It was very easy to slip into complacency when your companions were super strong.

Alec walked in the door. She watched him and neither of them spoke.

Lady bit her lip. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Alec walked into the room and tugged his shirt off. He wouldn't meet her eyes.

"You are lying!" Lady felt her voice rise. She wouldn't be treated like an idiot woman.

"I don't particularly want to talk about it." He walked into the bathroom and the door shut curtly before Lady could reply. She stared at the door for a moment, fuming and filled with rage but she relented and got into bed.

"Never let the sun set on an argument." It was the first time she had quoted in so long. It wasn't even an interesting quote. She rolled so her back faced the door and closed her eyes. She couldn't keep the argument going and she couldn't look at him. She felt the bed give when he got in. He didn't try to slide his arms around her waist and eventually Lady drifted off into sleep.

When she woke it was late and he was gone. Lady couldn't stay here. Not alone in this suffocating place and she missed her sisters and her friends. She decided to visit them and damn the consequences.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

She got back the next night and the apartment was empty. Lady had had fun back at the manor. She'd even had a civilised conversation with Duke in which she laughed. But it ended with another fight with her mother. Alec couldn't love her. He wasn't trained to. Lady left and came back.

Lady picked up the phone and dialled Logan's number for an update.

"You mean you haven't heard?"

Lady's heart stopped, "Heard what?"

"One of Alec's targets survived and been going after Alec. Now Alec is going after him first. Max has gone to the house to try and stop it anything from happening."

"Where's the house?" Lady's voice was cold and steady.

Logan rattled of the address and Lady hung up. She ran into the room, grabbed her sword and flew out of the door.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Alec bent over Rachel's body and cried. He had pressed the locket into her hand and stroked her long dark beautiful hair.

He could remember the way her brown eyes had lit up when they were together and he knew his did too. He whispered he was sorry to her over and over. Sorry for not be honest. Sorry for not saving her. And sorry for forgetting her and letting a new woman into his life.

He cried until he had no tears left and he felt empty of anything. Then he got up and walked away. He wished Berrisford had killed him. The aching would have stopped.

He walked past the pool and felt his body clench. That was where they had first kissed.

There was another woman there now. Her eyes were bright and she had a determined look on her face, in her hand she carried a sword. She saw him and relief crossed her features. The sword clattered to the ground and she ran to him, throwing her arms around him.

"Thank god your safe," She held him tight.

Alec couldn't really think of who she was. Her dark hair trailed down her back. Was it Rachel?

"Rachel?" He whispered. She looked up. Her eyes were burning green and filled with confusion. No this wasn't Rachel. He pushed her away hard. Too hard. She stumbled into the pool. He got confused again and jumped in after her.

Maybe she could be his Rachel for just a moment. Alec certainly felt something for the woman. He pushed her roughly up against the side of the pool and looked at her. She had green eyes and her face was harsher then Rachel's. It wasn't right but the long flowing hair was better.

"I always loved your hair, Rachel." He ran a hand through the wet tangle. The woman seized up. She shoved him away as hard as he could. Her eyes were narrowed but there was also hurt in them.

Alec reacted quickly. She would get away from him. She would listen to him. He wrapped his hands around her throat hard.

"Rachel you have to listen to me. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

She couldn't listen. She could only focus on drawing weak breath after breath. He was choking her.

"Rachel, it wasn't a lie. I loved you so much."

"Alec," She rasped. He had tightening his hold as he got carried away with the words.

He bent to kiss her lips, which were paling, as the rest of her face grew red. He couldn't look at the eyes, only the soft hair.

There was a sharp jerk as Alec was lifted out of the water. Max looked at the scene horrified. She punched Alec sharply in the face and he went flying back into the pool. She bent to haul a panting Lady out of the pool. There were purple marks around her throat and she was coughing. Alec looked up at her with wide eyes, still confused.

Lady felt the tears sliding out, oozing hot down her cheek after the cold of the pool. Max bent to retrieve her sword for her and slipped a hand around her waist. She helped her out of the house. They got to the door and Max said gently, "We have to talk."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Alec was at his locker in Jam Pony. He couldn't believe the last days and he felt awful. He hadn't seen Lady since the night and he had thrown up when he remembered what had happened. He had choked her and called her Rachel. He had driven away the only other woman he cared about. It was his punishment and he deserved it but he didn't let his hurt show to anybody.

"Hey," A voice said softly from the side.

"Hey Max," He replied with a smile.

"Listen… if you ever want to talk." She didn't know what to say. She wanted to help but Alec didn't like pity or sympathy.

"About what?" Alec grinned, playing dumb.

"About anything."

"Now why would I want to do that?" His smiled widened.

Max's face stayed serious. She could tell his smile was all fake. "Just consider the offer open."

"All right. Listen...thanks for saving my ass," Alec said. This was the closest he would come to discussing the events of the night with Max.

"You're all right?"

"I'm always alright," He shrugged. Max smiled ruefully as he walked past her towards the door of Jam Pony. There was a new girl leaning in the doorway. As he got closer she turned and his jaw dropped. It was Lady.

All her hair had been cut off. It was now close to her ears with blond and red streaks. Her green eyes were clear and she stared at him as he walked closer. She looked like a completely different person.

"What did you do?" Alec managed. He wished he could have said something else. Such as expressing how sorry he was that he had hurt her and that he loved her but he was himself and couldn't force those words out.

"I won't be your Rachel for you!" She said curtly.

"I didn't think…"

"I'm going back to the manor," She cut him off. She turned on her heal and left. That was all there was. Alec felt like she had hit him and could do nothing but watch her walk away.

Lady didn't look back and it was the hardest thing she ever did. She wasn't crying but that was because she had lost all her tears. Max had taken her to her apartment with OC for the night and left for Logan's. She had tried to stay strong as OC helped her dry off but soon tears were falling. It was OC who had changed her hair.

She had loved him and had been betrayed. Her mother had been right and now she had the resolve to dedicate herself to the prophecy.

**AN: Well hmm it's been a while but because life has been a bit crazy and prevented me from writing new chapters. It's calmed down so I'll be updating more. Let me know what you think.**

**MD666**


	13. Joshua's Lady

**Disclaimer:** nothing. Sad really.

**JOSHUA'S LADY**

Lady had hesitated before going anywhere near the city. She had quietly resumed life back at the castle and nobody had said anything. Not even her mother.

They noticed the dramatic change in her hair, which emphasised the green of her eyes. They assumed they had done it to fit in with urban life. She had actually done it not to be Rachel.

Max had explained to her who Rachel was and then Cindy had changed her hair. She was uncertain with Cindy's decision to put white blonde and red in her dark hair but eventually her desire to look as different as she could won over. Now she actually liked her new look. She just wished it could have arisen from different circumstances.

Max had warmed to her since the Berrisford incident but her and Cindy were at work. Logan would have been home but he would want to talk about her feelings. She wanted to ease her way back in with something simple, someone nice, who wouldn't try to talk about Alec with her.

She raised a hand to knock on Joshua's door when it flew open. Max almost barrelled the other girl over.

"Sorry Lady," Max blurted out. "Can't talk." She ran down to her bike and sped off.

"She had to blaze," Joshua said with a smile at Lady.

"I see that. I came by to chat." She followed him into the house.

"You changed your hair?" He observed.

Her hand went automatically to her hair. "Yes. Do you like it?"

"It's bitchin!" Joshua used some slang he'd heard OC use.

Lady laughed. "I hope that was a yes."

Joshua picked up some paint and got out a fresh canvas. "Do you mind if I paint."

"Not at all, we can still talk."

"No not just paint. Paint you!"

Lady looked a little taken back. "Um of course. If you want. I mean, why?"

Joshua just shrugged. He liked painting people but not typical portraits. He painted their emotions. He'd done the same to Alec, pretty colours and darkness underneath. At this moment Lady was a complex tangle of emotions and the artist in Joshua wanted to capture that intricacy.

Lady watched the first few brush strokes. "Can I move?"

"Yes." Joshua replied. He selected another colour. "Just don't watch."

Lady obliged by turning. She picked up a book off the floor. It was Jane Eyre. She'd read it years ago.

"Did you like Jane Eyre?" she queried, running a hand over the picture on the cover.

"It was ok. You like Eyre?"

"Yes… yeah… I did."

Joshua giggled. "You said yeah."

"Yes I did." Lady had been slowly adapting her language to better suit the streets. She still worked at Iccult the club occasionally.

"Why did you like it?"

Lady paused. "Because it was about an unconventional girl finding love without changing. She didn't become what they wanted of her and she still triumphed. I guess I just hope my life will be like that."

A quote sat on the tip of her tongue but she forced it down. She had decided to stop quoting when emotion overwhelmed her. She would deal with it.

"I like Oliver, by Charles Dick."

"Dickinson?"

"That right, dickinsogon."

Lady knew what he meant. "Don't you find it a little too convenient?"

"It's ok that it's easy!"

Lady didn't quite understand what Joshua mean but she accepted it anyway. He could say what he liked.

They talked about books for the next half an hour. Lady kept her back to him and his hands worked furiously.

Finally he stopped. "It's done."

"That was quick," Lady said. She didn't turn immediately. She was unsure if she wanted to see what she looked like in other people's eyes.

"Look," Joshua prompted.

She turned and examined the picture. Three quarters was of light blue, pink and green with a reddish undertone. The last quarter, the bit at the top, was black and seemed to be pressing down on the colours. Diagonally through the light was a dark grey strike. It halved the brightness and darker colour seemed as if it were spreading.

"What does it mean?" Lady finally breathed.

"The colour is you. Pretty, hopeful but strong. The black is the weight pressing you down but there is still hope, happiness…love. But now it has been wounded and it grows," He gestured to the grey.

Lady opened her mouth to reply when a familiar voice called out.

"Hey Josh, Buddy. Where are ya?"

It was Alec.

"I've got to go, Joshua." Lady pleaded him with his eyes to understand. He nodded compassionately.

She cast one look at the painting before running out the door. She didn't even glance at Alec.

"Lady, wait!" He yelled but she ignored him.

His first instinct had been to run after her. She had been avoiding him since that last day at Jam Pony. He had never been given the chance to explain anything to her. But he didn't deserve it. Not with the way he had treated her. He had almost killed her. It was that thought that kept him still. She had the right to run away.

He put a casual expression on his face and went to see Joshua.

"What's that Joshua? Josh number 45?"

"Lady."

"Yeah I saw her. She doesn't wanna talk to me."

"No! The painting is called Lady."

Alec examined it. "Doesn't look much like her."

"Joke isn't funny, Alec," Joshua chastised Alec.

"Fair call. Explain it to me."

Joshua pointed at the colour. "This is Lady. This is what is holding her back. The weight on her shoulders." He pointed at the black.

"Probably the damn prophecy. What's this?" Alec pointed at the grey stripe.

"You."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Alec hadn't gotten Joshua's word out of his head. He knew he was responsible for Lady leaving but he didn't want to think he had done any lasting damage to her. He wouldn't have been good for her anyway. At least that's what he repeated to himself constantly, like a mantra, in an attempt to convince himself.

He took a step into Jam Pony and plastered a cocky grin on his faced. Wouldn't do to let anyone know that his heart was aching.

He sighed internally when Max approached him. Was she coming to berate him for his treatment of Lady? To be honest he had been surprised the rebuke hadn't come earlier. He guessed his grief concerning Rachel had allowed him a couple of days leeway.

She was striding with a purpose in his direction. Max never walked like that unless she had a mission and was feeling particularly self-righteous.

"What are you doing tonight?" Max demanded

Ok that certainly hadn't been what he expected. It made him a little suspicious. "And why do you ask?

"Got word from this fence I know. There's a collector willing to pay top dollar for _Star Wars: Episode VII_. After the Pulse, they shut down production. Apparently this is the only footage that exists."

"Is that the one where Captain Kirk dies?" Alec asked, actually interested. It was star wars and he was a guy.

"I guess. Anyway, the reel's locked up in a vault at the Fox Building in Belltown." Max shifted. Now would come the time when she had to ask for his help. Alec always made things like this awkward.

"Max, are you asking me to steal something with you?" Alec's eyes lit up.

"It's a two-man job." Max grudgingly admitted.

"I'm shocked. I don't do that kind of stuff anymore, Max. I mean, you yourself showed me the error of my ways." It was a load of crap and the both knew it but Max needed his assistance so she let him play his game.

"Did I mention your take is twenty grand?" Max said casually.

"What time do I pick you up?" Alec asked quickly, smiling.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Hello Lady."

Lady jumped at the voice. She relaxed when she saw Duke.

"Hello."

"First time back in the city for a while?"

"Yes. How did you know?" Lady questioned.

"I am having you followed."

Lady stared at him for a moment before she realised he was kidding.

"I'm not really," He assured her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know it was a joke initially because…" She trailed off.

"Because I don't make jokes often?" he finished for her.

"well… yes!" she confessed. It made him laugh.

"I just take my job seriously and you have never actually spoken to me outside of work for the Isis cult."

Lady acknowledged the truth of the statement. She wondered if he was trying to woo her back into accepting him as consort again since Alec was out of her life.

As if he had read her mind he said. "I think it would be better if we were friends. Much easier."

Lady nodded relieved. Seeing Alec again had stirred so many emotions. She still cared for him but she knew that Rachel was still a presence in his mind and her pride would not allow for her to become a replacement for anyone. He had sounded desperate when he called after her asking for her to wait and listen to him but she hadn't.

"The prophecy is kind of repressive," Duke concluded.

"Yes and this castle is a symbol of that."

"Hmm I always thought the castle was a symbol of our history."

"History is the nightmare from which I am trying escape."

Duke looked at her. "Who said that?"

"Some historian," Lady replied.

"He choose an interesting profession considering his thoughts on history," Duke said.

Lady laugher. She saw Tsarina waving at her from one of the rooms.

"I'll let you go," Duke said with a smile.

"Yes I had better go see what she wants. Oh and Duke… thanks." Lady ran up to Tsarina.

"We've got a problem," Tsarina said when she was within earshot.

Lady sighed. "Don't we always!"

**AN: hmm yes as per usual nothing to add. My final exams are over so that's why I've finally been allowed to update. Reviews and constructive criticism welcome. Especially nice reviews **

**MD666**


	14. Borrowed Time

Disclaimer: Nothing, nothing, nothing

**BORROWED TIME**

"What is going on?" Lady demanded striding into the control room. Duke following close behind.

"We got a Manticore creature out on the lose," Tsarina answered. "And it still thinks it is on aission."

"Higher level thinking?" Lady asked, leaning over a scientist shoulder to examine the screen.

"As far as we can tell, none. It is just a well trained, deadly, animal!" someone called out.

"And it's mission?"

"Search and capture. Maybe kill," Duke said, quickly reading sheets of information.

"Shit," Lady mumbled under her breath. The phone rang.

"Lady, it is for you."

"Hello?"

"Have you heard?" a curt voice demanded.

"Yes Max I've heard. Do you need our help?"

"I need your help." Max was becoming more accepting of Lady but she didn't trust the cult as a whole. "I'm going to get Alec. Meet you at his?"

Lady winced. She did not want or need to be around Alec at the moment. She'd be quite happy if she never looked at him again. She put her hand to her neck where she could still feel the fading bruises from where he had attacked her. But Max needed help and it was her duty. "Yeah," she forced out and hung up the phone.

"I'm going in alone but can you guys be ready to bring back up if I call it in?" she addressed the rest of the room. There were nods of acceptance. Lady sigh and went in search of her sword.

"Be careful, Lady," Duke called out to her. She offered him a tight lipped smile in response. She ran a hand through her choppy hair in frustration. The last thing she needed right now was Duke acting like a human being.

She got to Alec's apartment at the same time Max did and the pair exchanged smiles in disguise as grimaces.

"Thanks for coming," Max muttered.

"No problem."

"Want to be here?"

"Absolutly not."

Max sent her a wry smile. "Can't say I blame you. I can think of other places I'd prefer to be."

"Anywhere but here" Lady responded.

"Actually Logan and I found a tempoary cure." Max stressed the word temporary.

"Goddess! Look if you want me and Alec to handle it," Lady offered.

"Nah. I let these guys out so I'm gonna sort this sitch out."

"Then get back to Logan?"

For some reason Max blushed and nodded. They reached Alec's door and Lady tried the knob, it was locked.

Max reached over to jerk it open.

"No wait." Lady exclaimed seeing Max about to break the handle.

"No time, sorry," Max answered wrenching it open.

Lady fished in her pocket and held up a silver object. "No I was gonna say, I have a key."

Max stared. "Oh."

Max strode into Alec's apartment whilst Lady lingered at the door frame. She had lived there for a while but it was Max the moved around the room with an easy confidence.

"Alec?" Max called urgently. "Alec?"

"Sleeping on the couch," Lady pointed. She didn't want to get any closer to the obviously very drunk Alec who was so tightly wrapped in blankets that he couldn't be seen.

Max went closer and all but shouted, "Hey. Wake up!"

The blankets moved. "Oh hey Max," a soft feminie voice filtered through.

"Asha?" Max asked.

Lady caught sight of the blond and felt her stomach drop.

Alec appeared from the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist. "What?" He demanded seeing only Max.

"I need your help. Can you get dressed?" Max pleaded.

"Okay," Alec agreed instantly sensing the stress in her voice.

"Please hurry!" Max said.

Alec turned to find clothes and saw Lady for the first time standing silently in the door frame. She was trying to keep her face bland but her fists were clenched. He expected her to run away like she did everytime they saw each other now but instead she meet his gaze.

"One should rather die than be betrayed," she said softly, "Betrayal is the willful slaughter of hope."

Alec couldn't feel anything but numb shock. He had invited Asha home with the intention of her being a quick one night stand. Nothing serious but something to drive Lady's prsence from his mind. Instead all he had got was a serving of guilt and a quote. Lady delivered quotes when she wanted to express her opinion on something but didn't want to talk candidly or personally.

"Lady," he began.

"We don't have time to talk about this," Lady replied. Then she followed Max out of the building. He watched her walk away, sword strapped to her back, head held high and he felt like an idiot. Lady looked so much like Max it was uncanny. Not physically but attitude and clothes were similar now. Asha watched the exchange.

"Well someone's in a cranky mood," She giggled drunkly.

"Shut up," Alec snapped and went to find clothes.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Nothing happened."

"Alec, Shut up!" Max and Lady snapped. They were walking through the sewers with Max in between the fighting pair.

"Just clarifying," Alec mumbled.

Lady was doing the best to remain dignified and focused on the mission but it was hard. Hard enough with Alec, every five seconds assuring her that "nothing happened" between him and Asha. She wasn't sure if she believed him. Asha was tall and skinny and blonde _and _smart. She had heard of being blessed but that was just ridiculous. Besides Lady knew that Alec's weakness was girls.

Max was preparing to hit them both or lock them in a room where Lady would either kill Alec, which he probably deserved, or they'd sort out their issues. Either one would give her peace and quiet. She knew Lady was justified in her anger, Max could still remember her face as she had hauled the younger woman out of the pool, half strangled.

Alec was doing everything possible to make himself feel less guilty. It didn't occur to him to actually apologise because in his mind _he _was never wrong. He tried reasoning with himself that he was recovering from the brainwashing he had endured when he got back to manticore after watching the bomb explode. It was a reaction to finding Rachel alive. Then he started thinking about whether any of these excuse would wash with Lady. When he realised they wouldn't he went back to feeling guilty, which was a rare emotion for Alec to experience.

"Nothing happened," he said again.

Both woman groaned. "You know what Max. We'll probably sort this out better if we split up," Lady said. She shot a glare at Alec and stromed off in the other direction without waiting for Max's consent.

"Half the world is composed of idiots, the other half of people clever enough to take indecent advantage of them," she mumbled under her breath as she stalked away.

The X5's watched her retreating back and Max turned her icy stare onto Alec who shifted uncomfortably in the sielnce.

"So... one of the gossamers is loose in the big city, huh?"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Alec couldn't exactly remember what had happened. He was sitting in the back seat of the car.

"Are we there yet?" Then he shifted. He couldn't move because he was restricted by some sort of sticky shell.

"Alec? Can you get out?" Max's voice demanded from the front.

"Yeah, I just thought I'd hang around. You know, 'cause it's so comfy." His sarcasm was mingled with panic as he realised what had happened.

"You can't move either?" Max was disapointed.

"Where are we?" Logan asked.

"Some junkyard. Gossamer musta brought you here."

"Wasn't Lady with you?" Logan asked.

"Yeah she got in a mood when she saw Alec with Asha!"

"Nothing happened," Alec all but screeched.

"So you saw Lady. How did it go?" Logan actually felt some pity for the man.

"She quoted at me. That woman could make Ghandi feel guilty." Alec was obviously upset.

A mans voice rang out, "Hey! Is somebody there?"

"What was that?" Logan demanded.

"Hey, get us out of here." Another voice yelled.

"Who's "us"?" Alec called out suspiciously.

There were a course of other voices. Other victims of the gossamar.

"I'm Hal. That's Irving. Then there's Gordie," the first voice said again.

"I own the place," Gordie offered helpfully.

"Get us out of here," Hal yelled.

"Before that thing comes back and eats us all!" Irving cried.

"Actually, Gossamer's an herbivore. He only kills for sport," Alec said loudly with a smirk.

"That's good to know." Max called out, "We're gonna get everybody out. Just hang tight." In a lower voice she addressed Logan and Alec, "Do you have any idea what Gossamer wants?"

"It turns out the dentist was using Keveral to fill cavities," Logan explained.

"What's Keveral?" Max looked confused.

"It's a material used in weapon casings and body-armor plating. My guess is Manticore trained this thing to track down enemy soldiers by targeting the stuff."

"Great. I'm gonna die with armor plating in my teeth," Irving snapped, overhearing the conversation.

"I don't want to die!" Hal wailed.

"No one's gonna die! I hope." Max said the last bit to herself. She turned to face Logan, "This quack didn't fill _your_ cavities. Why'd it go after you?"

"I was holding the Keveral when it slimed me."

Alec groaned. "Please. Can we just concentrate on getting out of here before this goo monster comes back?"

"Joshua. He'll get us out." Max concluded suddenly

"Joshua...who we told not to leave my apartment?" Logan pointed out.

"Or Lady," Alec suggested.

"Who hates you at the moment," Logan said.

"You just got be negative don't you Logan!"

"I can't believe how screwed up all this is," Max groaned.

"I know," Logan agreed. He couldn't believe the bad luck he and Max had. Only a few hours and manticore had stolen that too.

"And to think I thought my night was gonna end up in a sewer. I wish." Alec said, completely unsympathetic to the heartache going on around him.

"For the last time, shut up," Max growled.

"You know, it's your fault that I am sitting here in this monster saliva to begin with!" Alec retorted with childish bitterness.

"It's not her fault," Logan countered.

"Yeah, right. It's not my fault. It's just my _life_. Even if we get out of this, what happens tomorrow, Logan? We still have the nomlies, and Manticore, and all fates against us. I shoulda known that one night was just too damn much to ask," Max ranted.

"How much time do we have left?" Logan inquired gently.

"Not enough." There was anote of desperation in her voice.

"Oh, Max...it wouldn't have been enough anyway. We knew that," He tried to comfort her.

Alec sat up straighter, "Whoa. Whoa, whoa, call me slow on the uptake, but am I getting the distinct impression that this virus thing is still hanging around?"

There was a pause. "Shut up," Logan said.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lady heard movement in the sewer and started in that direction. She had her sword raised in a defensive position.

She rounded the corner and came face to face with Joshua. His eyes were big and round as he saw her sword.

Lady breathed a sigh of relief. "Josh, thank the goddess it's just you. Have you seen the others?"

He pointed to the steps that led outside. "I can smell Little fella!"

"Let's go find them then," Lady said. She sheathed her sword and started climbing.

They emerged into a junk yard. "Alright Josh, lead on!"

Joshua lifted his nose to the air and ran to a decrepid car. "Max? Logan?"

"Joshua! Joshua, in here! Joshua!" Max's voice called.

"Hey, buddy!" Alec cried in relief.

"Joshua! Get us out of here!"

Joshua's face appeared by the window and so did Lady who couldn't help looking a little amused.

"I didn't stay put." Joshua said quickly preparing to get scolded.

"That's okay," the occupants of the car said at once.

"Come on. Come on, hurry up!" Max urged.

"Get us out of here! Hurry!" Hal shouted, sensing that there was help.

"Come on!" Max rdirected the focus. Joshua ripped the door off and Lady used her sword to cut the binds away.

"You okay?" Joshua asked concerned.

"Yeah." Max wasn't really fine.

"Hey, buddy. Back here. Back here. Come on!" Alec got impatient. Joshua went round to pull that door away and lady followed again with her sword. Once the door was gone and it was Lady's turn to free him Alec stared warily at the sword point.

"I'm sorry," He said. And it was so unplanned so earnst that it startled Lady and Alec.

Tears began to well up in her eyes. Shit, Alec though, hed made her cry just when she was about to use a sharp pointy thing in his direction. Not smart, he berated himself. But she got control and freed him without a word.

"Keveral! Where's the Keveral?" Max asked hastily

"By the phone. By the phone. By the phone. Right there." Logan pointed frantically.

"Oh! Gossamer!" Joshua growled

Max and Lady wheeled to face the creature. Lady recoiled. It was nothing like anything she'd ever seen before. Nothing like the transhumans at all. It was part lizard, part insect and it was angry. It tried to slime Max but she dodged the flying mck twice.

Max held up the Keveral. "Want some of this? Come on! You're going to get it!"

The gossamer lunged and while Max darted away, Lady got hit in the cross fire. She coped a full face of whatever the Gossamer used to paralyse their victims. She fell heavily to the ground but the Gomssamer didn't try to attack her as he was fixed upon the keveral.

She was lying on the ground thinking very sarcastiv things to herself. "Great, Lady. What a way to prove yourself useful. Were you trying to act all dignified in front of Alec? Because that failed!" She couldn't see much as most of her eyes were covered but she could hear yells and banging. Then silence and the dim murmur of voices. Why wasn't someone coming to help her?

A certain head filled her vision and she stifled a groan. Why couldn't Joshua come and save her.

She tried to tell Alec to go away but it came out muffled, she could hardly move her mouth.

He mistook it for panic. "Hey relax. I'm gonna help you."

Lady rolled her eyes and grunted. Alec delicatly cleaned her face. "Can you move?"

Lady made more gurgling noises.

Alec got a strange glint in his eye. "Talk?" Lady was getting suspciosus.

"Run away?... good! We're gonna have a little chat." Alec lowered himself into a seated position.

Lady made distressed noices.

"No. It's only fair. I really care about you Lady and no matter what happens Rachel will always be part of my life. What happened did damage to me but I don't want you to be Rachel. I fell for you just being you. With the weird clothes and the funny way of speaking. With your religious cult and tattoos. I'm not asking you to forgive me but I am truly and honestly sorry."

A tear leaked out of Lady's eye and Alec automatically wiped it away. This was the first time he had touched her since that fateful night and Lady reacted to him like nothing had happened. But the ache in her heart told her otherwise.

Alec dug his phone out of his pocket finding it too hard to look in her anguished eyes. "I'll call Tsarina. I'll wait here till they get here." He wasn't going to abadnon her and he wasn't going to dispaear from her life. Not if he had the chance of winning her back. He had thought he want to forget her, drive her out if his head but he knew that wasn't true.

**AN: I almost didn't include this episode because not much happens but hey the Asha/Alec moment was too good to resist.**

**MD666**


	15. Anger

**ANGER**

Lady swore and everyone in the control room shot her strange looks. Their princess had changed so much since associating with the transgenics. She had picked up their manner of speaking and their foul curse words.

"You should have let us know," she was saying angrily into the phone. "We could have easily had her transferred here. We have a hospital!"

There was silence as she listened to the other side of the conversation. Lady twitched perceptibly.

"Logan, you know Max is stubborn but that is hardly worth risking exposure."

Logan spoke more and Lady itched to tell him exactly what she thought of Max foolishly endangering them. She didn't however. She settled on a semi civil 'goodbye.'

She snapped the phone shut and clenched her fists. She took deep even breaths. Lady wasn't prone to fits of anger. Another change real life had wrought on her.

One of the operators received a call that he would have rather not shared with their leader but he had no choice.

"We have a problem," he said meekly.

Lady's hand absentmindedly drifted to her hip where she usually kept her sword. The operator was glad of its non-attendance.

"What?" She managed to control the venom in her voice.

"There's a disturbance at the club."

Lady put a hand to her head. "Could my day get worse?"

A messenger strode into the room. "Your mother requests an audience."

Lady tilted her head skyward. "Oh funny. You're funny!" She addressed the deity Isis, wondering why she couldn't let her have a normal life.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Thought you said you were tight with the bouncer." Max crossed her arms accusingly, staring at her buddy Cindy.

She shifted uncomfortable, trying to see past the line of people. Original Cindy had finally managed to coax Max out with promises of a spectacular night. It was all going up in flames now.

"Boom Boom. He's gotta be around here somewhere." Cindy was now on tiptoes whilst Max wondered how the bouncer had gotten the nickname Boom Boom.

"Thought you said he was gonna get us in." Max was not going easy on her friend.

"He will as soon as he sees that we're in line." Cindy was a little irritated at Max's attitude now. "'Sides it ain't like you don't have connections at this club."

They were in fact outside Iccult. "You know how I feel about using the cult."

"Lady is ok."

"Yeah, but I don't trust cults in general. They get weirdly fanatical. So don't make a deal out of it."

A group of people stumbled up laughing and whopping. Max paid no more attention to them than the fact they provided a weapon against Cindy. "Oh. Looks like they're tight with Boom Boom, too."

"I'm gonna go up front and I'm gonna see what's going on. If I come back and find out that you bailed…" Cindy left the threat hanging.

Within minutes Cindy wished she had bailed. She wished it very hard as she nursed her broken arm.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Max had felt very guilty. She did that a lot of the times these days. She knew deep down it wasn't really her fault Original Cindy had gotten hurt from the transgenics at the club but she felt responsible nonetheless.

It was puzzling though. Transgenics were trained solders, well versed in the art of covert operations. Nothing that had happened had been secretive. It was more overt actually.

Max resisted the urge to jump when she saw Lady standing, hands on her hips. This was the closest the woman had come to looking genuinely pissed off. Max found it amusing but was disgruntled that she had been so distracted she hadn't noticed the lock tampering.

Cindy waved a weak hand at Lady, who returned it with a tight smile. This got more of Max's attention. Lady was uptight and a little repressed but she had usually been nice. Especially to Cindy.

Cindy caught the tension and reacted. "I am going to lie down. Give you girls some talking room. Be nice, Boo." The last part was for Max.

"We had a transgenic problem at the club."

"I know I was there," Max replied, looking around to see if they had any tea.

Lady's face showed shock. "I didn't think you would do that to us, Max. I knew you hated the cult but more the idea."

Max's head snapped up. "You think I orchestrated that?"

"Um let's see," Lady pretended to look thoughtful. "Yes!"

"Why the hell would I do that?"

"Cult aversion? To annoy me? You're one of the few people who know the real meaning behind the club!"

"I noticed you're not banging on Alec's door." Max was triumphant. Surely that would shame the girl into backing down.

"He wasn't home." Lady's voice was rising. She was truly angry now.

Max grabbed her arm. "Lady what the hell is wrong?"

Lady shoved her away but Max managed to force her into a complicated arm bar. The younger woman's face pressed into a wall.

"Lady, you need to chill out. Now!"

Lady struggled for a second before resigning herself to her position. She knew Max was stronger and faster.

"I didn't set that up!" Max tried to inject sincerity into her voice. She was furious that Lady had suspected her.

"Are you trying to tell me it was pure chance?"

Max released Lady. "That's what I'm trying to say."

Lady rubbed her wrists. "Ok."

Max took a step back. "You believe me? Just like that?"

"I honestly don't want to get put in another arm lock."

Max felt a ghost of a smile tugging her lips. "Good reason."

"Look. I have some ideas about what's going on here. But I need a little time. I'll sort them out."

Lady watched Max, wondering if her mother would approve. God knows after their little chat she had other things to worry about.

"Fine." She said it a bit sulkily.

"Fine," Max said leaning against the wall.

Lady moved towards the door. "Do you think we'll ever be friends?"

"Sure. Just give me time." Max smiled.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Where the hell did my clipboard go?" Alec wondered riffling through his belongings. It was no where to be seen.

"Looking for this?"

Lady stood in the doorway, holding it. "Joshua, said you left it with him."

"Ok thanks." He plucked it gently from her finger tips. She didn't look happy.

He tried to think of something witty and distracting to say. He opened his mouth, let out a nervous laugh then closed it again.

"Haven't heard from you in a while."

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

"Quote?"

"Not exactly."

Alec shifted uncomfortably and wondered why this was so ridiculous. They both knew they had feelings for each other but still they played this ridiculous game of cat and mouse. It had taken all of Alec's maturity and courage to do his little speech.

"Here for a particular reason?" he prompted, hoping that it was because of him.

"Nope," she shrugged. "Well I was going to accuse of sabotaging the club." She was pleased with how casual sounded. Inside her heart was beating a peculiar pattern.

"Oh," Alec looked down. He was a little crest fallen.

"You look like a kicked puppy." Lady noticed.

"I know. It's a little pathetic, isn't it?"

Lady smirked a tiny bit. "Yes."

Alec realized something at that moment. "You are enjoying this!"

Lady looked a little startled. "I am not!"

"You are. You wrench." He had heard that insult used during his time at the cult.

She shoved his shoulder and without thinking he grabbed her wrist and pulled her in to be kissed.

Of anything, Lady had not expected that. She couldn't resist and all her feelings for him flood back to the surface.

Eventually her mind took over. "I can't," she breathed and staggered backwards.

"Yes you can. You're the little plane who knew it could." He reached for her.

"Train. The stories about a train." She moved further away knowing that if he wanted her enough he could easily catch her.

"Why not?" he demanded. His voice was raw and eyes burning with desire.

"Because I'm being promised to Duke tomorrow," she blurted out.

Lady was out the door before Alec could even process the information. For some reason he was calm. This wasn't a problem, this was the motivation he needed to take action.

He was going to pay the cult a little visit.

**AN: This was one of those awkward connect the dots chapters. Also a return chapter. I need to get back into the feel of the story after so long away. Please review. It would make my day.**

**MD666**


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